The Science of Things
by IamSweetChildOMine
Summary: AU: April Kepner is a young High School teacher. She loves her job. She loves her life. Then something unexpected happens and she realizes that the best things are the ones you do not expect, at all!
1. Little things

_Little things_

* * *

><p>She was late. And she had never been so late in her entire life.<p>

When she was a kid, every morning she used to ask her parents to hurry up, to take her to kindergarten.

The day of her graduation, she had arrived almost 3 hours before everyone else.

She remembered she was so exhausted that night, she had even fallen asleep at the dinner table.

So, yes, she was definitely not okay with being late.

It was the first day of school.

Well, she was not a student anymore, she was a nearly 30th years old biology teacher.

Anyway, it was her second year at the Mercy West High School and honestly, at the beginning, she had fallen on hard times. Because of her hopeless naivety and mostly because she was too generous and kind.

It was difficult dealing with teenagers, they were growing up and they needed comprehension, more than anything else. And maybe she was too compliant with them.

But she remembered clearly how difficult that time had been for her. Actually, it had been only few years ago…

Anyway, despite all these issues, she loved teaching.

Even if, sometimes, as a biology teacher, she had found herself in little troubles with a _certain_ topic, especially because of her extreme lack of experience in that _certain_ field.

And that one time Principal Sloan had asked her to prepare for all the classes that lecture, she had gotten so embarrassed.

She remembered Mark telling her "I can't think of anyone better than you, in talking about sex, Kepner!"

-_Teen agers and the importance of safe sex-_ That was the title! She had been asked to give a lecture to all the students of the school. And obviously she had started blushing since the very first beginning.

April Kepner and sex were like a planet and his satellite. They knew each other, they could see each other but they had never got close enough. Neither once.

But that was not her fault. She had never met the right guy. Or she had never tried to find one, as Lexie, had always suggested her to.

"Don't you want to die virgin, do you, April?" she kept asking her.

No, definitely not. She wanted to find someone, indeed. She imagined a big family, two or three children, at least. A house with a backyard. She had dreamt about it, so many times.

Maybe it was not the right moment for her… Maybe she had to concentrate on her career…

.

She stopped her car in the parking lot.

She hurried to the stairs. She noticed a small group of girls, talking and giggling.

"Good morning, Ms Kepner?" she heard one of her students. April was approaching them.

"Good morning, Jessica" she replied smiling "You girls have to get in class now…"

"Oh, Ms Kepner, have you seen him?" the girl asked enthusiastically.

"Seen who?" April replied but the girls had already started squeaking and giggling again.

"Oh my God… Oh my god …" the girl were shouting, trying, uselessly, to talk in a low voice, but their piercingly tones were all but loud.

April looked in the direction where the girls were still looking.

There he was…well she couldn't see clearly because he was wearing a hoodie, but he sure was a student.

He was leaning on his car. A brand new sport car.

_Totally inappropriate for a teenager! _April thought.

He was talking on his phone …And now he was heading toward them.

She was staring at him while he was climbing the stairs.

He was looking down at his feet, while taking the steps two by twos.

He was very tall, his left hand in his pocket, his right one on his shoulder supporting his…bag?!

_Wait, that's not a student bag…! _She thought.

He was wearing a pair of jeans, a hoodie and a pair of green sneakers, which seemed to be shiny new, actually.

She was staring at him. He had to be a student. It would probably be some new student, maybe in Senior year…

As soon as he had got inside, the girls started screaming loudly.

"Do you guys know him? Is he a friend of yours?" April asked, naively

The girls laughed…

"Oh Ms Kepner, I wish he was…" Jessica stated and then joined her friends and got inside.

April was speechless. Who was this mysterious guy and …

_Hey, wait a second, has he just parked in our reserved parking lot?!_

* * *

><p>April was in front of Principal Sloan office door, knocking.<p>

She didn't hear much of a reply, more something like... a moan?

"Mark, I need to talk to you….OH MY GOD!"

April had just entered Principal Sloan's office, well Mark's office, since he was her best friend's husband and she knew him as he was his own brother.

And Lexie and Mark, in that right moment were in an exact position that was more than legitimate for two people who loved each other and were married to each other and were indeed expecting their first child together, but that was not an appropriate behavior, giving the circumstances.

"Would you please… contain yourselves…Oh my God, Lexie!" April was scolding them.

Lexie was indeed sitting on Mark's lap, who was sitting at his desk, with his hands on Lexie's….

"Relax April! You are so uptight lately!" Lexie was buttoning up her shirt, while slowly getting up from her husband's lap. Her six months old baby bump difficult to not notice.

She was a teacher as well. Lexie and April had met in college and had become inseparable.

April was the first person who Lexie had spoken to about her relationship with Mark, almost two years before. And April had immediately support them. Because they were so obviously in love.

They had met in that right place, Mark was already the principal, so, at the beginning, all the whisperings and the starings in the hallway seemed to never start to die down.

But what was between them was all but a one-time thing: in 4 months they had gotten married and now they were about to become parents.

It was a dream come true, meeting the true love.

"What do you want, perky?" Mark asked scoffing. He used to call her not by her name only to mock her.

"Have you noticed that some students seem to have resumed their bad habits of parking in our parking lot. It's not a problem with me but since you asked me to be more firm… well, here I am!"

April was waiting for an answer, but all she got was that the two of them were looking at each other, puzzled look on their faces.

"She saw him!" Lexie snapped.

"No, she didn't… He had texted me he was a little late…" Mark replied, waving his hand in disbelief.

"Oh man… she saw him!" Lexie replied "Did you see him, April?"

"Who? That new student who parked on our parking lot? Of course, that's why I came here…"

"Hey, Kepner, slow down… What are you talking about?" Mark had straightened up and was now approaching the two women in front of him.

"I told you Mark! She saw him! Ugh…I wanted to see him first…" Lexie pouted.

"What are you even talking about?" April was completely lost

"Kepner, what kind of car was he driving…that student…I mean…"

"I don't know, it's a red car, I think it's a sport car….I don't know…" but she was cut off when someone knocked at the door.

"Principal Sloan, may I come in?" they heard from behind.

April was staring at Mark. In his face a large smirk was now spreading.

"Yes, indeed!"

April looked at Lexie who was nodding at her, while enthusiastically mouthing "It's him!"

"Avery, my man! Welcome in!" Mark was greeting the guy who was stepping inside.

April's attention was immediately caught by his shoes. A shiny new pair of green sneakers.

She was still staring at his shoes while embarrassed she realized that the guy she had seen in the parking lot, who was now in the office with her, surely was not who she thought he was.

"Jackson Avery, meet my beautiful wife, Lexie Grey…" Mark politely introduced him

"Hi, nice to meet you…" he said, offering his hand to Lexie, who was smiling proudly.

"And this is April Kepner…" Mark continued, gently shaking her shoulders.

She was still looking at his shoes.

"Hi April, nice to meet you…"

And finally her eyes travelled up, from his shoes to his eyes.

_Man, those eyes! _

"Hi …." April replied, trying to keep her blushing under control.

_Here you go again, April! _

He was smiling at her. A sincere yet interested smile. Like his eyes were going deep inside her skin…

"Okay…if you ladies could excuse us, we have important stuff to discuss, don't forget the teacher's meeting this afternoon..." Mark stated.

"It was nice to meet you Jackson, see you later…" Lexie took April under her arm, leaving the office.

"It was nice to meet you too…both of you…" Jackson replied.

He kept looking towards the door, where the two women had just disappeared..

"Is she...I mean… are they working here too?"

"Yes, my man, you have two pretty damn awesome teachers to work with… but...ehm …Avery, just to let things straight, only one of them is available, do you understand?"

"Oh, yes, sir…I mean, err…no…I wasn't…" he mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh, yes, man…I know exactly what you were thinking!"

* * *

><p>"Oh my God, he is really handsome, isn't he?" Lexie stated excitedly as soon as they were in the hallway.<p>

"Who is he, Lexie?!" April asked

"He is our new English teacher, April! And he sure is hot!"

"Lexie!" April scolded her

"Well, he is, April, and there isn't nothing wrong in saying it out loud! Mark had told me, though, that he was kind of a cutie! You knew that he is only two years older than us?"

"Oh… I actually thought he was a kid, I mean I didn't even get to see his face but…"

"I know… April, I get why you thought he was a student, but thanks God he is not! I mean… If he was a student, you could have gone to jail!" she said the last part of the sentence almost whispering

"Are you totally insane, Lexie?!"

"Don't tell me you would not have those eyes above you when you…"

"Okay, I'm heading out now Lexie, see you later!"

April couldn't believe her ears. Lexie was out of her mind. Or maybe it was her pregnant hormones' fault, as she had told her. But she had to admit, those eyes of his were kind of incredible!

* * *

><p>She was at her desk, in her class, her students were already gone.<p>

The first day had gone perfectly well.

She was quite tired but pleased. Teaching was the thing that she loved most.

She took of her glasses and put them away.

"Ehm… April?"

She turned around and she saw him. Jackson was standing on her door. Smiling.

She gave him a puzzled look. _What is he doing here? _

"Yes?... Hi…"

"I'm sorry, do you know where the meeting room is?" he asked her

"Ehm.. Yeah..Second floor, third door on the right…" she replied almost automatically, returning to look inside her bag.

"Oh…okay… Are you coming too, right?"

"Yes, of course, I just… I'll see you there!" she blurted out.

She felt quite embarrassed and she didn't know why.

Well he was obviously very handsome, but she had just met him…

"Oh okay, I'm waiting for you…"

April looked at him, then inside her bag, then at him again.

"How long have you been teaching? I mean you seem…" he suddenly asked her

"Yes, I know I seem more like a student than a teacher!" she confessed "but I can say the same about you!" she told him, pointing at his shoes.

"Yeah, point taken!"

"However, this is my second year…"

She smiled at him. And he was smiling back at her. But he didn't say anything back.

He was staring at her.

"Okay, then, we should go now!" she said visibly embarrassed.

"Yeah… right…." He mumbled.

They were heading down the hallway.

"Are you from Seattle?" he asked her again.

"No, I'm from Ohio, but I went to college here in Seattle…and you?"

He opened his mouth to reply when his phone rang.

He looked at the screen of his cellphone, then stopped walking.

"I'm sorry, April, I have to take that…mmm. Second floor right?"

"Yeah, right, see you…"

Then she heard him whispering "Hi sweetie, I can't talk to you right now, is everything okay?"

As soon as she stepped in the meeting room and sat down, Lexie was beside her.

"So, I was thinking maybe we could have a double date, you know, you should get to know each other better, you're both single, you're both young…"

"Lexie, please, can you stop playing Cupid with me? I'm perfectly fine…"

"You are not!"

"I am too!"

"Fine, I was only trying to help you!"

"I don't need your help…besides… you should at least get updated on his status, before organizing anything at all!"

Honestly, April was a little upset. But what was she thinking? That he might be interested in her? Not by a long shot.

Luckily the meeting didn't last long.

Mark had introduced Jackson Avery, the new English teacher, to all of them and then, after a few pleasantries, they were being dismissed.

April had stayed longer a bit longer, though.

"So, what do you think about it?" Lexie asked her.

Next Saturday it would be Mark's 40th birthday and Lexie wanted to organize something special for him, a very special romantic dinner, at home and she obviously needed April's help, because she wasn't able even to cook a fried egg, whereas April was indeed a very excellent cook.

"Ok, Lexie, I will help with the roasted chicken and the cake… Will you at least prepare yourself the appetizers?" April replied. She wasn't able to say no to her friend.

"Yes, YES! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Lexie replied excited

They both headed out and found Mark, who was waiting for them on the stairs.

"Ok, ready to go?"

"Yes we are! See you tomorrow Aps!" Lexie hugged her briefly, then took his husband hand and both they headed toward their car.

"See you, Kepner!"

"Bye, Mark!" she replied smiling

She was staring at them, daydreaming.

They were so in love. How was even possible to be so in love with someone. She couldn't even imagine what it could be…

"Ehy, April?"

Someone had briefly touched her shoulder and she had startled.

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you…"

She turned back and saw Jackson, right behind her.

"Jackson…ehy…"

"I wanted to say sorry, we were talking and then I had to answer my phone and…."

"It's okay, Jackson, it's not a big deal…" she replied, minimizing, and without even thinking she was going down the stairs, looking for her car keys in her bag.

April was walking a little faster than the normal to approach her car and after a moment of hesitation, Jackson was sprinting too.

"Yeah, okay… Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then…"

"Yes, sure, see you…"

She didn't even bother to turn back to look at him, but hopped on her car as soon as she could and leaving him, quite puzzled, staring at her, in the parking lot.


	2. The only way out

_The only way out_

* * *

><p>It was Tuesday morning. The second day of school.<p>

April had arrived late. Again. But that was indeed the plan for that morning.

Early that morning, in fact, she had been to a meeting: the Seattle High School Meeting.

Mark had chosen her to represent their school and, although she was not the kind of person who loved talking in public, she was quite proud of herself for that important role.

April had agreed with Lexie to pick out a "special" outfit for that special day and, as she should have imagined, she had regretted that choice from the very first moment.

Anyway, Lexie seemed to be so thrilled about it, that April had given in to her advice.

That morning, in fact, April was wearing a purple pencil skirt that covered her legs just below her knees, a white blouse and a pair of black high heels shoes.

"April, God! I was so right! This skirt looks amazing on you! And look at those shoes!"

They were in the teacher room.

Mark gave her a brief look, then nonchalantly stated "Well, Kepner, I have to say, you are quite a sight!"

"Oh, stop it, both of you!" she replied, visibly embarrassed.

"So, how did it go?" Lexie asked enthusiastically.

"Well, pretty well, actually. I have some brochures to hand out to the students, about the academic programs of Seattle Pacific and Washington University"

She was in fact carrying a bag, which was quite heavy actually, with all of the brochures for the students.

She was about to put them on Mark's desk, when he stopped her.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, raising his brows.

"I've just told you, these are…"

"Kepner, don't put them on my desk, hand them to the students!" he replied, gesturing with his hand.

"Oh, okay… Tomorrow I'll…"

"Kepner! Just do it already!" Mark yelled

April was looking at him, shocked "Now?"

"Yes now! Why? What's the problem?" Mark replied carelessly.

"Because…I can't go now…looking like THAT!" she replied, quite irritated, pointing at her outfit.

"Oh yes, you are! Go Kepner… chop chop!" he summoned her, briefly clapping his hands.

"Unbelievable!"

April took the bag from Mark's desk and headed towards the door.

"April, wait, wait a second…" April was just outside the office when Lexie called her back.

As soon as Lexie reached her, totally unexpectedly, she unbuttoned the first buttons of April's blouse.

"Lexie, for God's sake, what are you doing?"

"Well, considering you have to go to Professor Avery's class" …she stated, winking at her "… you might want to give him something to feast his eyes on…"

"Oh my God, you are totally crazy!" April replied embarrassed, while rapidly buttoning up her blouse.

"Why not?" Lexie replied, smirking but April was already heading down the hallway.

The second day of school had started not in the better way for Jackson.

He had spent the lunch break in the class, sitting at his desk, trying to decipher his students' essays, but he had found that quite difficult. He had forgotten his reading glasses at home. As if that was not enough, he had also forgotten his cell phone, and that was making him pretty anxious.

And the reason was that he had tried to arrive earlier that morning, so maybe he would have met April and they would have time to talk to each other.

Honestly, he had not been quite interested in women for quite some time. Well, he was for sure interested in women, but, for few years now, meeting someone was not a priority for him. He had met a lot of women, well, to be more precise, a lot of women had tried to get to know him. But he was not interested.

But with April, it was totally different. He barely knew her, but she had immediately triggered something inside of him.

April was something else.

She seemed to be a very nice girl. Very kind. And she was so unbelievably cute.

So that was the reason he had arrived almost half an hour early, but that morning she hadn't shown up.

"Ok, guys, sit down now, the break is over!"

He was about to start the lesson, when he noticed three students of his class, three boys, who were still standing on the door, talking to each other, in a very suspicious way. They were leaning out the door, looking down the hallway.

"Guys, have you heard what I've just said? …" he told them again, a little frustrated.

"She's coming, she's coming…" He heard them saying, while they were running to their seats.

He didn't pay attention, but as soon as he heard a knock on the door and he saw her, well… he realized everything.

"Ehm…sorry to interrupt… Hi, can I come in?"

April was standing on the door, a folder in her hand.

Jackson was looking at her. Staring to be more precise. Seeing her in that outfit made him feel a little excited. That skirt was fitting perfectly to her body. She was wearing a white blouse, her sleeves were rolled up and her hair were up in a bun. She was wearing glasses. She had a red lip gloss. She was so professional yet so sexy…

He was imagining her…

"Ehm…Jackson?" April asked again.

He hadn't realized that, instead of letting her in, he had leaned down on the chair, as to make himself more comfortable while he was enjoying that amazing view.

Damn, those lips...

"Oh, yes, sure yes…I'm sorry.. Please come in…" he babbled, scratching the back of his neck while getting up from his chair.

April had noticed that his eyes had travelled up and down her figure for a while and she was actually feeling a little embarrassed but also a little flattered.

"Okay, guys, sorry to interrupt… I have these brochures for you… If you want to give a look at them…" She told them, smiling, and she passed through the rows of seats, putting a brochure on each desks.

Jackson was still staring at her, unable to keep his eyes away from her. He noticed that all the boys in the class were actually turning their heads to look at her back as she passed beside them.

"Mhm… April!?" He was trying to catch her attention, without seeming too frustrated from the scene he was just witnessing.

But she hadn't heard him, because actually she was talking to one of his students: Leo.

"Excuse Ms Kepner, could you please explain me that? I don't understand..." Jackson had heard him say.

Jackson knew that Leo was one of the most popular guys of the school, known for his many love conquests and broken hearts. Jackson had also heard that Leo was very smart and bald-faced, and now he had the proof.

Jackson was still looking at April, who was now leaning forward on Leo's desk. He saw Leo's eyes pointing at her cleavage. Her blouse was in fact not properly buttoned up and Leo was taking advantage of that.

That was enough.

"Okay guys, pass the material on by yourselves, one each. Ms. Kepner, do you have a second?" Jackson had reached her and taking her by her hand, he led her near the door.

She was confused.

"April, your…ehm…your blouse, the button is…" he whispered while we was trying to shelter from all the indiscreet eyes .

"OH GOD!" she exclaimed, putting a hand on her mouth, trying to keep her voice low, visibly embarrassed.

They heard some whisperings and chuckles.

Jackson smiled at her sympathetically, while she buttoned up her blouse, properly.

"Okay, I should go now… " she stated suddenly "you guys have a good... lesson!" and then she left the class.

She had just disappeared behind the door when Jackson heard the students clapping and laughing.

"Guys, be good now… Open your book at page 130…and start reading..."

He was trying to concentrate as well, but he had to admit that seeing her looking like that had shaken him, a little more than expected.

He then left his desk and, slowly, approached Leo's table.

He leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "Don't even think of doing that again, understand? By the way, he's totally out of our league, my friend!" Leo looked at him quite embarrassed while Jackson went back to his desk, without even looking back.

It was 2.30p.m. and, as the bell rang, all the students were ready to go home.

Jackson was ready to go as well when, suddenly, Mark Sloan appeared on the door.

"So, how is it going so far, Avery?"

"Well, pretty good, actually…" Jackson stated proudly.

"How many hearts have you already broken, among the girls?" Mark asked again, laughing.

Jackson looked at him, shocked.

"Come on, Avery, just kidding… however… I see April brought here the brochures..." he stated, pointing out at the copies on his desk.

"Yeah, yeah…she was here…I mean…for the brochures…"

"So, tell me, what do you think?" Mark asked, taking a copy in his hand and flipping through the pages.

"Well, she's great I mean…she's…she's really great..." Jackson was talking, looking down at his shoes, while scratching his head, unable to wipe off a smile from his face

Mark was now looking at him, smirking.

"Avery, I was actually talking about the university brochure…you know" he told him, waving the brochure under Jackson's nose.

"Yeah… yeah…Oh, sure yeah…I mean, the brochure, of course…" he would have sunk through the floor.

"Avery, relax, I'm totally okay with that…. Do you know where Lexie and I met? Right here! So I totally understand! But keep it straight PG-13…, got it?" he told him, winking.

"Oh, yeah, I mean, I wasn't thinking about that…" Jackson replied, visibly embarrassed.

"Avery I told you yesterday and I'm going to say it again, only one more time: I know _exactly _what's going on in your head! Don't lie to me! Make your move, already! You have some pretty gorgeous eyes, do you know that?"

April was approaching her car when she heard someone calling her out.

"Ms. Kepner?"

"Sarah…Hi…"

Sarah was one of the best students of hers. She was in Senior year. She was quite shy but she had immediately connected with April. Sarah talked to her like April was her best friend or her bigger sister and that was a little awkward, because they were teacher and student but, anyway, that didn't bother April, at all.

Sarah kind of reminded her of herself when she was in high school.

"Do you know what he told him?" Sarah asked, enthusiastically. But April seemed quite lost so she went on

"Professor Avery! He told Leo you're out of his league…"

"Sarah…" April was scolding her, still smiling.

"Ms. Kepner I swear…they way he was staring at you..."

"Well it's not a big deal, Sarah, let it go…" she was trying to minimize what the girl had just told her but, truth to be told, she was quite interested in knowing other details.

"I think he likes you… Do you like him?" Sarah whispered.

"Okay, Sarah, see you tomorrow…" April cut her off, because obviously she didn't want to answer that question and also because she had just seen that Jackson was approaching the two of them.

The girl turned back to look in the direction where April was looking, then turned again towards April.

"He's coming here, right now!" the girl told her, trying to keep a low voice.

"Yes, Sarah, of course…he has a car and he wants to go home …" April simply replied.

"But his car is not here!" Sarah told her

"Sorry to interrupt…" Jackson told them politely as soon as he was behind them. He was looking at April, smiling.

"I...I was just leaving…Goodbye Ms. Kepner…Professor Avery…."

"Goodbye Sarah" they both replied in sync.

April looked at him. He was still looking at her with those gorgeous eyes…

"April, I'm sorry, I actually came here to apologize. I acted quite rudely this morning in class but I was trying to…you know…" he told her, pointing at her blouse.

"No, no…it's okay…I'm so sorry for what happened in your class, I mean, it was so embarrassing…" April replied, smiling.

"You look very nice..." he suddenly blurted out. He didn't want to sound insolent, but he had to tell her that. He was looking at her and he couldn't avoid it.

She looked back at him, straight into his eyes, then she tried to minimize.

"I don't…I mean… I don't actually dress always like that, I had a meeting and…"

"Well you definitely should… maybe keep your blouse all buttoned up…but apart from this…" he was was totally flirting with her, no doubt.

April was smiling. "Ah, ah! Very funny! Okay, I have to go now…See you tomorrow then…"

"April, wait… would you like to grab a cup of coffee?" He asked her, unexpectedly.

She had just opened the door of her car but she turned back, looking at him.

"Right now…?!" she asked him

"Well, yes…If you want to…"

She pondered her answer. It was not a big deal, right? Even if he had just flirted with her, honestly in the most amazing and charming way, he was simply asking to grab a coffee….It was just a coffee, as a matter of facts they were colleagues so it was totally okay….to grab coffee with colleagues… it was a coffee, right, nothing more….even if he was actually flirting with her… She was rambling again...

"Okay…!" she simply replied

"Okay?!… Okay, fine… I've just…" then he looked at his watch, his face suddenly changed expression "Can I ask you a favor? I forgot my cell phone this morning, can I use your phone? I…I have to call home…"

"Oh, yes, yes of course…" she replied, handing him her cell phone.

He took it and made a few steps to get away from her. And she noticed it.

She didn't want to eavesdrop but she could perfectly read his lips… and he was mouthing something like "sweetheart" or "sweetie" again.

She felt so stupid. What was she thinking?

And what kind of guy was he?… He was totally flirting with her and now, what, he was calling home to tell, maybe his girlfriend, that he was stuck in a important meeting at school!?

It took him only few seconds to come back to her.

He gave her phone back and smiling he asked "Okay, shall we go?"

But April's face and mood had totally changed, during his phone call.

"I'm sorry, Jackson, I forgot I had an appointment, well actually... my boyfriend, he is waiting for me…I'm sorry…"

And she got in her car as quickly as she could, leaving him in the parking lot, again.

He was still looking where her car had just disappeared when he heard someone calling him.

"Avery?"

He turned back. Mark and Lexie were approaching him.

"Was that April's car?" Lexie asked

"Yeah, we were talking…she had to go, though, she had an appointment…with her boyfriend and…"

"With who?" Mark almost yelled and then laughed loudly.

"Oh Mark, go away, wait for me in the car…!" Lexie scolded him.

As soon as Lexie and Jackson were alone, Lexie asked him again… "Did she tell you exactly that she has an appointment with her boyfriend?"

"Yes…" Jackson was quite lost.

"Oh man, she is so…wait…what have you done?" she asked him again, with an inquiring look.

"I…simply asked her to grab a coffee… nothing more…" Jackson was starting to get really anxious.

"Are you sure? Nothing more…?" Lexie asked again.

"Look, I asked her to grab a coffee with me, then I called home and a minute later she told she was busy with…."

"That's it! You called home… and tell me you called home right in front of her or…" Lexie stated as she was stating the obvious.

"Well, no, I was not right next to her when I called home…I'm sorry, I don't understand…"

"Oh my God! You seemed such a smart guy Avery, but I must have overestimated you…." Lexie blurted out, a little frustrated and, without saying another word, she turned back heading to the car where Mark was waiting for her.

April had just arrived home. She took her heels off. Her feet hurt so much. She put her shoes back in their box and put them away in the shoe rack.

She was about to go into the bathroom to take a shower, when she heard a message on her cell phone.

"_Coffee, tomorrow morning, I'll pick you up at 8.00…"_ She didn't recognized the number. Actually, it was not in the phone book of her cell, but she had quite the idea who could it be and how he had got her number.

Only 30 seconds later a 2nd message arrived.

"_Okay, I get it, is it too early? Fine… 8.15!...and I need your address..." _She laughed while reading the message.

She was still on the fence about grabbing that damn coffee with him.

"…_Please… "_

He seemed a very nice guy, she had to take that opportunity. Maybe she was totally wrong. She was not as perceptive as she thought when it was a matter of men, Lexie always had told her that!

She decided to listen to her heart and avoid the deepest, most painful regret of them all: letting something amazing pass you by.

_**Let me know what you think! Obviously the last line is not mine... I kinda use it here but it's a line from one of the BEST Japril moments on Grey's!**_

_**Anyways even in the next chapter I'll use some lines from the show...**_

_**_**I actually love receiving all kinds of reviews so thanks everyone!**_**_

_**I enjoy writing and I know I'm not good at it but I'm trying to improve myself…**I'm truly sorry for my poor grammar! I really hope this one is at least acceptable!****_


	3. Bomb

_Bomb_

* * *

><p>April stared at her cellphone. It was 8:12.<p>

She was waiting for him, ready to open the door and leave her apartment as soon as he called her, or rang her doorbell. She didn't know which way he would let her know he was arrived.

She had been ready from 20 minutes now.

She had looked outside her window several times, but still no signs of red sport car. There was actually a black SUV parked right in front of the gate

Maybe it was Mrs. Grey's niece.

April lived in a two story-house and Mrs. Grey was her landlady, who lived in the apartment on the ground floor whereas April lived in the apartment on the first floor.

Mrs. Grey was a very fine old lady except that she was a little deaf and sometimes she kept her TV volume way too high.

It was 8.15 and April's heard her doorbell rang.

She opened the door and went downstairs, to see Jackson, gorgeous eyes and all, waiting for her.

"Good Morning!"

"Hey…" April smiled.

"Ready to go?"

"What?" she fumbled, tearing her eyes away from his. "Oh, yeah, of course!"

April was looking around, she couldn't see his car, though, but then she saw Jackson turning in the direction of the black SUV and actually opened the passenger door for her.

"Oh! Is this yours? I thought it was…. Well… Nevermind..." she smiled, quickly approaching him and hopping on his car. He gently closed her door and went around the car to reach the driver's seat. In the few seconds that April was alone in the car, she immediately noticed a purple bracelet that was hanging on the rearview mirror. She was still staring at that strange item when Jackson finally got in the car.

"So…I found this cafeteria where they serve you the most amazing lattes, it's just 5 minutes from here…" he stated excitedly. "April…?" he had noticed that she was staring at the bracelet. Speechless.

That was his goal, actually. He had chosen the SUV on purpose.

He had always tried to protect and in some way hide his personal stuff, but he just wanted April to know everything about him.

"Oh, yes…I'm sorry…I was… I'm sorry…" she was trying to relax, but that little object had just set her mind on motion.

Jackson was studying her reaction. Maybe he had been too hurried but April was making him feel so impulsive. He had yet to know her but he felt like he had been waiting for her his entire life.

There was this undeniable chemistry. When he was next to her he could feel this strange pull. He had met her only three days ago, but he felt like it had been months. He was so eager to get to know her that he was, maybe, rushing into things with her. But he could deny the crazy interest he had on her.

"You can put your bag in the backseat…if you want…" he told her, while starting the engine.

"Oh, okay" she replied, but as soon as she looked behind her she froze.

In the backseat there was a child seat! And a pink, small backpack and a teddy bear.

She remained still for a moment, turned towards the back of the car, unable to move.

He was studying her reaction, again. A little smirk on his face.

"He doesn't bite, you know…" he told her.

She turned towards him, her face was surely red, but she didn't know if it was from either embarrassment or angst.

"Jesse bear, I mean…the teddy bear, his name is Jesse…" he went on talking nonchalantly.

She was now facing the window. Was he playing with her? What was that?

Jackson was still smirking, pursuing his lips. He had just realized what Lexie Sloan had tried to tell him between the lines. The fact that April didn't have a boyfriend had been completely clear from the moment he had seen Mark's reaction to his statement. But then, what Lexie had told him, meaningless in that moment, was now perfectly clear. April had misunderstood everything. And the reaction she was having, right now, was the proof of that. And he was so excited because her reaction meant also that she was upset with him, and if she was upset with him maybe it was because she…

"You should wear a ring, you know…." She blurted out.

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked, completely taken aback. A little amused by her statement.

"I hate men who don't wear their rings even if they are…"

"I'm not married…" he cut her off and pulled over the car, in lot near the cafè.

Jackson was now looking at her, his body turned towards her. He was waiting for her to speak up.

"But you…" and she couldn't complete the sentence because he cut her off again.

"I have a daughter, a beautiful 4 years old daughter… but I'm not married… I don't have a girlfriend…" he simply stated, still smiling.

April looked at his face. He was smiling, and his gorgeous eyes were suddenly brighter. His face had lit up when he had told her about his daughter. "But I could ask the same thing about you. Why are you grabbing coffee with me if you have a boyfriend?"

He was teasing her and flirting with her at the same time, and she couldn't help but smile, embarrassed.

She then decided to play his own game.

"It's just a coffee with a colleague, it's not a big deal…"

"Well, I can assure you I don't actually ask any of my colleagues to grab coffee with me… If I were your boyfriend, I'd be more careful of letting you going out for coffee with your 'colleague'…"

April was now laughing; that conversation between them had eased her tension.

"I don't have a boyfriend!" she stated, still laughing.

"You don't?! " He asked, playing dumb. His smile was slowly melting her.

"No, I don't have a boyfriend! I told you that because I thought you were somehow busy, with someone…and… ok fine, I thought you had a girlfriend…all that whispered calls, and then you were…you know what you were doing…" She told him, still embarrassed and amused.

"Flirting?" he finished the sentence "Well Ms. Kepner, you had the wrong impression." Her heart sunk. Maybe she had thought too much into it. "… on thinking I was busy… the flirting part? Totally true!" he told her, winking.

"Oh my God! Could we please go grab this damn coffee…" she unlocked her seatbelt, shaking her head amusedly.

15 minutes later, they were back in his car, ready to go to school. They had talked a lot, mostly about his daughter, Evelyn. Jackson had told April that he wasn't really in a serious relationship with Evelyn's mother when she got pregnant but they had agreed to raise the baby together, but only one week after Evelyn was born, the woman had left them and he hadn't heard of her, ever since.

They had moved to Seattle from Boston, about six months ago. They had moved there because he thought it was a better place to raise a child. He used to be a Professor at Boston University, he had a Ph.D. in American History, but he had left that job to dedicate his time to his daughter.

"I'm actually thinking of coming back to university you know, pursuing a Ph.D. in biochemistry, had always been my dream…" April confessed him.

"Well, you should pursue it… With our school commitment you will have plenty of time…"

"I'm glad you talked to me about her, though…I mean, Evelyn… " April suddenly blurted out

Jackson looked at her. He was so captivated by her that he could have kissed her, right there, in that right moment. But it would have been definitely beyond the line.

"You know, I don't usually do that…I mean… It's so easy being near you that I couldn't help it…" he confessed. "I've never talked about her, you know, I feel like I have to protect her…but with you I kind of feel like…I don't know…it's so easy being near you..."

They had just parked in the parking lot and he was still looking at her.

"Oh, thank you…I mean, it's the same for me…I...we should go now…we have to go.." she babbled, looking at her watch. His words had set her cheeks on fire.

"Yeah, okay, I'll see you later…"

"Okay…" she replied smiling

She quickly got out of his car and sprinted inside the school. She saw that some students had noticed her, getting out from that black SUV, but she tried acting carelessly until she heard Jackson calling out her name. Loudly. She turned around. He was approaching her, with her bag in his hand.

"Ehrm, April? You forgot this…" he told her, panting, handing her the bag.

Now they were in the middle of the crowd of students and they were all staring at them.

"Oh, yes, thank you… All righty… See you…" she mumbled awkwardly as she headed towards the door as fast as she could.

If someone had not noticed them yet, after that call in the middle of the parking lot, they had noticed them now.

**_All kind of reviews are appreciated! _**

_**Thanks to my awesome Beta Doctor Lexie Sloan!**_

. .


	4. The people that we love

_The people that we love_

* * *

><p>"So?!"<p>

April was at the table on the school cafeteria. It was lunch break and she was eating when Lexie had approached her from behind, touching her shoulder, startling her.

"Lexie! Oh my God…You scared me…"

"Oh, I'm so sorry… Were you waiting for someone else?" Lexie asked, smirking.

April was looking at her. She knew exactly what Lexie meant.

"I have to say, though, I'm quite disappointed in you…" Lexie continued… "I have to know about that student of yours, that Professor Hottie Avery gave you a ride to school…"

"Lexie!" April scolded her.

"So?"

"So, what?"

"I want to know everything! And start from the very beginning!"

April was looking at her friend, quite amused actually. She seemed to be so excited and, truth to be told, April felt a little excited too. She couldn't deny that. She had felt butterflies in her stomach when he had told her those amazing things. And he was so charming. God! She had noticed his gorgeous eyes. His eyes had made her feel like his was looking inside of her, through her clothes, through her skin. And his hands. He had beautiful hands. And his mouth and shiny teeth. He had the most beautiful smile and…

"April! Are you even listening to me?" Lexie brought her back to reality.

"Yes, yes… well, we grabbed a coffee together before school…"

"And?" Lexie insisted.

"And what?" April replied.

"And what happened, what did he do…I mean… did he make the moves on you?" Lexie asked all excited.

"No, he did..not! Lexie, please, keep your voice down… It was just a coffee…"

"Kepner, I heard Avery gave you a ride to school this morning. Is it something wrong with your car?" Suddenly Mark had approaching them, sitting down at their table.

"Mark, please, we grabbed a coffee before school, I mean…we are colleagues… we are…buddies?!" April blurted out, not wholly convinced of what she had just said.

"Buddies?!" Lexie asked, incredulous about what she had just heard.

"Kepner, I totally understand…" Mark went on "You are colleagues, or buddies…if you prefer…and you need to bond, to help him integrate, I mean…this in a new environment for him…"

As Mark was making his speech April was looking at Lexie, with a proud look. Mark seemed to find this bonding thing really important and, for the first time, he seemed to take her seriously. But that didn't last long.

"You are buddies… like study buddies…and then you could extend that relationship…become…the other kind of buddies, you know…" And then winked at her, while Lexie burst out into a loud laughter.

"Oh God, you are hopeless! Both of you!" And she got up, outraged, and headed towards the hallway. She heard Mark as she walked away, and the few words she caught were : "buddy", "office" and "twenty minutes" and saw them rush off in the corner of her eye.

* * *

><p>As their school day had ended, April was ready to go home. She drummed her nails on the desk calender that was filled with test dates and assignments.<p>

They hadn't actually agreed on going home together, maybe she would text Lexie and ask her to give her a ride home. Or maybe she was overthinking too much. Maybe he was just waiting for her outside.

As she arrived in the parking lot however, his car was nowhere to be seen. She knew exactly where they had parked and his car wasn't there.

He forgot about her… of course. She opened her bag to take her cell phone when she heard the sound of a car horn.

"April!" she heard him calling her.

She looked in front of her, he was in his car, in the street just outside the parking lot.

He was waving at her, from inside his car.

She reached his car, trying to hide her undeniable smile.

As she jumped in the car, Jackson started talking: "I'm sorry, I have to leave school 5 minutes earlier for…"

"Hi! Are you April?"

A cute soft voice was coming from the backseat of his car.

April, turned back, slowly, knowing exactly who that cute voice could belong to.

"Hi…Yes, I'm April. You must be Evelyn." she replied, visibly embarrassed.

"Sweetie, I told you, this is my friend April, she is a teacher as well…" Jackson stepped in the conversation.

"Isn't April a month?" the little girl asked again.

"Yes, it is a month, and it's also a name…" Jackson replied, smiling to April.

He had told April about Evelyn, right away. That was his plan. But for the two of them to meet, right away, that was definitely not part of his plan.

However he had received a call from Evelyn school and he had to go pick her up.

And there they were.

April was still visibly shocked about this unexpected encounter and Jackson was a little worried about it.

Evelyn was a sweet little girl but, as any 4 years old she didn't know any boundaries.

"Are they real?" the girl asked, touching a curl of April's hair.

"Evelyn! Be nice…" Jackson scolded her but April cut him off.

"No, it's okay… Yes, they are real…" she replied smiling.

"They are very beautifuley!" The girl started touching her curl again.

April couldn't contain a hearty laugh.

Jackson looked at April. She had the most beautiful smile when she laughed. She was looking at her and, suddenly, his anxiety completely disappeared.

"Beautiful, Evelyn… You say 'they are beautiful!' " He corrected her.

"Fine daddy! April, this is Jesse bear!" She went on, handing April her teddy bear.

"Oh, nice to meet you Jesse, you are such a cute teddy bear!" April replied, amused from the conversation she was having with the little girl.

"April, do you want to be his girlfriend?" she suddenly asked her

"Evelyn, sweetie… You don't ask such things… I told you…April and I are…" Jackson step in the conversation, shocked look on his face.

But April had realized what Evelyn was talking about and seeing Jackson's reaction was really amusing.

So she played along.

"Yes, I'd love to, Evelyn!"

Jackson turned towards her. A smile fixed on his face. But then he saw that April was cuddling the teddy bear, he knew he had misunderstood and April seemed quite enjoying that embarrassing misunderstanding.

"Daddy! Jesse and April are married!" the girl exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Oh, wow, are we already married?" April asked smiling

"Yes….yes, you are!" the little girl went on, giggling.

Jackson had just pulled over.

"Thank you so much for the ride" she told Jackson, smiling.

"The pleasure, as you could see, was all ours!" he replied to her.

"Okay, it was nice to meet you Evelyn, and you too Jesse bear.." she joked, blowing a kiss to the teddy bear.

Evelyn couldn't stop giggling.

"See you tomorrow, then…" she smiled to Jackson, then she got out of the car, and opened the gate to go home.

Jackson was staring at her while she was heading towards her front door.

"Daddy?!"

"Yes sweetie…" he replied, still gazing at April as she had just disappeared.

"It's rude to stare at peoples….you told me that!"

* * *

><p><strong><em>Please let me know what you think!<em>**


	5. Mouth

_Mouth_

* * *

><p>It was Friday morning.<p>

April had just parked her car in the school parking lot.

The first week of school was about to finish and she was glad the weekend was looming because she felt actually quite tired.

That first week had been really, really intense for her. Mostly because she had met Jackson.

She had thought a lot about him. And today she was actually expecting to see him, mostly because she hadn't seen him the day before at school. Actually, she hadn't even heard anything from him, and she had felt a little upset.

She was about to get out of her car when she heard a knock on her window.

It was Sarah.

"Sarah…Hi! Good morning!" April greeted her.

As April looked at her face she realized something was wrong with the girl.

"Hey, Sarah, what's wrong…"

The girl had puffy eyes, surely she had cried a lot and now it seemed she was about to start crying again.

"He…he left me…" She sobbed

"Oh, Sarah, I'm so sorry…"

"Because I didn't want to have sex with him!"

"Oh … Oh!" April was quite taken aback. She couldn't imagine hearing her saying that.

She wasn't obviously the best person to give advice regarding sex or even relationships, she didn't have quite the experience she should have or at least Sarah thought she had, but the girl felt miserable and April decided to get into the conversation, anyway.

"Well, Sarah, I'm so sorry…but if you don't feel that way, to be intimate with him, maybe it is a sign, you know. I sign that you have to stop…"

"He told me that too… he invited me over, and then I found out his parents were not there… And he was so kind, he lit up candles and stuff… and when I told him I wasn't ready…he told me that maybe it was because I didn't love him …" The girl was inconsolable and April didn't know what to do.

Actually April was quite surprised. She had immediately thought it was the same old story. The girl is in love whereas the boy wants only...THAT! But this time, the things that Sarah told her, had made April think that it was actually possible that the boy could truly have feelings for her and maybe she had actually hurt him. Or maybe not. God, that was so messed-up.

"Sarah, do you love him?" April suddenly asked her.

"I…I don't know…"

"Okay, now listen to me…We have to be in class in less than 10 minutes. Go to the bathroom, wash up your face and then we can talk about it later, okay? I promise! "

The girl simply nodded and did as she was told.

April was still near her car when a familiar voice caught her attention.

"Hey!"

April turned back to see Jackson, walking towards her.

"What was that? I mean…She is the girl I saw talking to you the other day, right? Was she crying?" he asked her.

"Yes… She is in the middle of a crisis right now, she broke up with her boyfriend, long story, and she was asking me for some advice."

"What did you say to her?" He asked her, smirking.

"Actually, I took time! Honestly, I didn't know what to say. It's so complicated!" April exhaled.

"What is complicated?!" He went on asking.

They were heading towards the entrance, side by side.

April could feel his gaze fixed on her and she felt almost incapable of thinking.

"By the way, I almost forgot to tell you, Jesse says hi…" he told her smirking.

She chuckled, turning her face to look at him.

"Well, thank you! And please return my greetings to him!"

She was few steps from her class when Jackson, quickly, put himself in front of her, blocking her way.

"He asked me to …well, to ask you out. Dinner. Tomorrow. What do you say?"

April's mouth dropped. Jackson's bold move had completely shocked her.

"I made him promise he will behave, though. Don't worry. I will be there too, you know, just in case…"

His gorgeous piercing eyes were making her unable to form a proper answer.

Luckily, the bell rang.

"Jackson, I have to go…"

"Saved by the bell, huh? Okay… but think about it!" Jackson winked at her and then headed towards his classroom.

**_..._**

"Oh my God!"

"Lexie, please..."

"Oh my God!" Lexie repeated, shocked.

"Lexie, I couldn't go anyway… it's Saturday, don't you remember?"

April and Lexie were sitting together, as usual, in the school cafeteria. They had just finished their lunch, during which April had told Lexie about Jackson's "Saturday dinner proposal"and Lexie was unable to tell her anything but…

"Oh my God!"

"Lexie, would you please stop saying that?" April asked her, a little frustrated.

"April! Shut up, say no more! I have to go now!" and she suddenly got up from her chair and sprinted towarsd the hallway.

"Kepner, why on earth is my wife in such a hurry?" Mark asked her, approaching her.

"I wish I knew Mark…Really…I have a bad feeling about it!"

"Please don't tell me she's feeling sick! I really hope not to have to deal with her nasty stomaches again..."

"Oh, no! Absolutely not! She's fine! No stomaches at all!" April reassured him

"Oh well, great! Because I have to ask you a favour, since I'm actually taking Lexie out for dinner tomorrow and I…"

"No! Mark, you can't…I mean…No…why going out if you could spend a beautiful night at home…"

Mark was looking at her, inquiring look on his face.

"Spit it out, Kepner!"

April paused for a few seconds, then gave up.

"Okay, fine, but I haven't told you anything, okay? Lexie is organizing a special dinner, for you two, at home… Actually I'm in charge of the cooking part, so..."

"Oh, I see… Well…Tell her you are busy!" he told her, unexpectedly.

"Mark, come on! I promised her…I mean… I've…"

"Well, tell her whatever you want but I'm actually taking my wife out for dinner night!" Mark simply stated.

In the meanwhile, Lexie was standing in the hallway, looking up and down. As soon as she saw him, she called him out, loudly.

Jackson was about to enter his classroom when he heard her.

"We need to talk!" she told him as she reached him.

"O…kay" he replied surprised.

"Can you cook?" Lexie asked him, totally unexpectedly.

"I'm sorry, what?!" he raised his brow, in confusion.

"I'm asking if you can cook, Avery" Lexie asked again, exasperated.

"Yeah! I mean, I'm not a pro but I'm quite good, actually…"

"Oh, that's great! Now all you need is asking her out again, but this time, ask her to come over. So you could be together, and she can cook…for me. See, the thing is, she is busy tomorrow, with me, with my husband's birthday surprise dinner because I can't cook! I'm a total mess in the kitchen! And April, well she is the best cook and she is my friend. And Avery, just so you know, it's great that you asked her out, I think she's really into this idea of going out with you… and I am too, I mean, I'm totally fine with that, but for this one Saturday, we have to change a little your plan…"

As Lexie finished her rambling, Jackson kept looking at her smiling.

"That was my idea actually. Invite her over, for dinner." He confessed.

"Oh! Really? That's great! Okay, then. You will have your date, and my husband and I will have our dinner. And Avery…don't screw this up okay?"

Three hours later, their first week of school had officially ended and April was ready to go home. She walked towards the exit and just as she was outside she saw him, leaning against her car.

He was so handsome.

"So, I was thinking, since you have to cook for your friends and I happen to be an excellent cook…" he started talking as she was near enough to hear him.

"How do you know that?" she asked, surprised.

"Well…I have my ways…" he replied, nonchalantly.

"Yeah…Okay…"

"Anyway, Evelyn is at my mother's for the weekend, and I thought of inviting you over, for dinner. And then your friend Lexie told me about your cooking plan, and I think it would be great. I can help you with that, if you want me to. What do you say?"

* * *

><p>"You and your big mouth, Lexie!"<p>

It was Saturday. April was getting ready for Jackson to pick her up and was now on the phone with Lexie.

The previous morning, after a little moment of hesitation, she had agreed with Jackson. They had talked about what to cook, where to go grocery shopping and what time he would pick her up. He had insisted to pick her up until she had accepted.

"April! That was his plan in the first place!"

"I know that! He told me that too, but you are such a meddler!" April replied indignant.

"Aprils, I'm your friend, and as your friend I had to make sure not to ruin your date! I'm so excited for you! So tell me… What did you choose to wear?"

April looked at herself in the mirror.

She was wearing a red and blue shirt, one of her favorites, with little hearts and stars on it, a pair of jeans and ballerina shoes. Lexie surely wouldn't approve that outfit.

"I'm wearing a dress, you know that blue floral dress we bought together at the mall…" She lied.

"Oh April, it looked amazing on you…"

Then a car horn interrupted their conversation.

"I have to go now, Lexie, he's here...see you later…"

April hurriedly picked up her jacket and handbag and went downstairs.

As she hopped on his car and greeted him, he spoke up.

"So, I know we had agreed to go to the grocery together but I actually already did it. I thought it could save us time…" he confessed, smiling.

"Oh…But…. did you buy bay leaves?" she asked, nervously.

"Bay leaves?"

"Oh God! I can't cook the roasted turkey without…"

But he cut her off. Putting suddenly his right hand on her knee, trying to soothe her.

"April, relax, we will get your bay leaves, okay? Going right away!" he told her, smiling.

But his hand on her knee made her all but feel relaxed.

She looked shocked at his hand and he noticed that.

He immediately took it away, and put it back on the steering wheel.

They remained in silence for a few seconds then she decided to speak up. She had noticed his reaction after her shocked look and she felt guilty. He obviously had caught her off guard, but she couldn't deny that it had felt really good, actually. So she decided to open her mouth.

"So...How is Evelyn?"

"Oh, she's fine... My mother let her do whatever she wants, kind of spoiling her, you know…"

"She's adorable" April stated smiling.

"Well, I am not supposed to say that because I'm her father, but she is!"

April looked at him. It was so proud of his daughter, so in love with her, she could see it in his eyes.

They went on talking the whole time in the car, in the grocery store and when they arrived at his apartment.

He lived in a real nice neighborhood. He parked his car and after grabbing their shopping bags, they entered the building and got into his apartment, which was on the first floor.

"Okay, here we are…"

He opened the door and let her come inside first.

She looked around, astonished. It seemed to be a very big apartment. Probably twice as big as her own. She could see the living room on her left, with two big couches and a huge corner bookshelf. In front of her she could see the kitchen counter. On her right side a corridor.

"You have a very nice apartment!"

"Well, thanks..." He replied putting the bags on the kitchen counter "Please, make yourself at home… Would you like something to drink?"

"No, I'm fine, thanks"

"Okay, I go get changed, I'll be right back!"

She looked around again. She approached the kitchen counter to empty the grocery bags.

She noticed he had made an excellent choice of organic products. The same she used to buy, as well.

"So…What do you think?"

Jackson was right behind her. As she turned around to look at him her mouth dropped!

"Gosh! You look amazing!" That would be the appropriate answer to his question, April thought.

He was wearing a grey T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms. That T-shirt was so close-fitting that she could perfectly distinguish the margin of his pecs. He then crossed his arms on his chest and in that position she could appreciate his gorgeous biceps. He looked like a personal trainer. Or a model. Maybe both.

But he was obviously referring to his purchase and not to his outfit, so April just nodded and all that escaped from her mouth was a mumble of approval.

Jackson looked at her grinning and then he asked "Okay! Shall we start?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hope you like it! Please let me know what you think!<strong>_

_**:)**_

_**Sorry for my poor English!**_


	6. The chemicals between us

_The Chemicals Between Us_

* * *

><p>"So… I'm kinda of curious to know what is complicated..." Jackson asked her nonchalantly. while trying to dip a spoon into the mixing bowl where April was preparing the ambrosia salad.<p>

"Hey!" she chastised him, while trying to hide away the bowl from him "You are supposed to help me with the food not eat all of it!"

"Well I'm helping you! I'm actually tasting it!" he replied to her, smirking.

Jackson had opened a bottle of red wine, for them to drink, and April had actually taken a good help from that glass of wine. She needed to ease her tension. It was so difficult yet so good to be near him. There was this kind of strong gravitational pull that was attracting her to him. It was chemistry. It was undeniable.

"So?" he asked her again, sitting on the chair at the counter, right in front of her.

"So what?" she asked him back.

"Yesterday you were talking with that student of yours, the one who broke up with her boyfriend..."

"Actually, he broke up with her!" she pointed out.

"Fine, he broke up with her and you said that 'it's complicated'… I wondered why..."

"Well you don't think that relationships are complicated?" April asked him again, cutting him off.

"It's not fair to answer a question with another question, Ms. Kepner, you know that, right?" he replied, smirking again.

She looked at him, then looking back to her bowl, trying to avoid the blush that, actually, was already spreading on her face.

"Are you talking from experience?" he asked her, again.

"No, I'm not talking from experience, but I think romantic relationships are quite complicated, because we always have expectations, that are always disappointed and…wait, are you doing?"

April had in fact noticed that Jackson was grinning at her, while pouring more wine in both their glasses. He looked at her, and then looked at their glasses.

"I'm not trying to take advantage with you by getting you drunk, if this is what you're thinking!" he told her, chuckling, raising his hands.

"No, I was actually referring to your silent laugh. I mean, obviously, you don't think relationships are complicated. Okay, fine. I get it." She stated.

Jackson remained silent for a few seconds, then stood up from the chair, taking both their glasses in his hands and went round the kitchen counter, getting close to her.

April could feel the warmth of his body, even if they weren't touching at all, his warmth was all around her.

"Do you think this, between us, is complicated, too?" he whispered softly from behind her, offering her glass.

She was breathing heavily. She wouldn't dare to turn around. She pretended to be totally involved with that ambrosia salad that was more than ready now.

"April…" he whispered.

She felt his hands slightly touching her hair. God. She didn't know how to pull herself together. She felt goose bumps spreading down on her skin, from her head to her toes. It was like her legs were about to give up on her. Her heart was beating so fast.

"I have to agree with my daughter, you have such amazing hair…"

And he touched them again, this time touching lightly also the skin on her neck, right beneath her ear.

April couldn't avoid exhaling deeply. Then everything happened really fast.

Her cellphone rang, she startled and turning on her right she bumped into Jackson's hand, that was actually holding her glass of wine, that was now spilled on the floor and, mostly, on April's shirt.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry!" he apologized, putting down the glasses and handing her a towel.

She stood still, completely shocked.

Her cellphone was still ringing.

"It's okay. I have to answer that. Might be Lexie!" she told him.

"Hi…Lexie, hi!" she answered awkwardly, as she was able to reach her handbag on the couch, where her cellphone was.

"April? Are you okay? What took you so long…Oh...Oh! Am I interrupting something?"

"No, Lexie, no! Of course not. We are actually ready to bring over your dinner."

"Okay, April, regarding that…Mark and I…we are… ehrmm… it is not necessary, actually…we are just having…dessert before dinner…so….it's okay, enjoy the dinner with Professor Hottie, okay? I'll call you tomorrow. Bye" and she hung up.

April was still staring at her cellphone, speechless.

"Here, take this, if you want to change…" Jackson had reached her and he was now handing her a sweatshirt.

She looked at her shirt, spilled of red wine.

"Come on, go get changed, I'll put it immediately in the washer-dryer" he continued.

"Actually, it was Lexie. The dinner is skipped…"

"Oh, okay, well we can…"

"Could you please take me home?" she blurted out.

She exhaled deeply and then looked at him. She felt miserable, she felt so anxious.

Jackson was still looking at her, in his face a mix of confusion and disappointment.

He turned towards the kitchen, where all the food they had prepared were now ready. The turkey was in the oven. The cake was already wrapped up.

He then looked again at her.

"I don't understand…" he told her "April, is everything okay? Is it because of something I did, or said or…"

"No, it's not. God, no, it's not your fault!" April told him.

"Okay, well, I'm not going to insist, I'll grab your jacket…" and he turned back, heading down the corridor.

"Jackson, wait!" she blurted out.

He immediately stopped and turned around.

She felt miserable, because she knew he felt guilty, but none of this was his fault, and the fact that she was so anxious of being there, with him, it was not a good reason to ruin their evening.

"Actually, we can eat first, I mean…if this is okay with you!" she told him, smiling, while she noticed how he was grinning at her.

"I'm more than okay with that!" he stated "but at one condition…" and she reached her, the sweatshirt for her still in his hands.

"Take this and go get changed, the bathroom is right down the hallway "  
>"Okay…Thanks" she smiled.<p>

"Take your time. I'm setting the table…" she heard him saying.

As she was in the bathroom she looked in the mirror.

"God April, pull yourself together, you don't want to die virgin, don't you?" she mumbled to herself.

"It's only a dinner…it's the chance to get to know him better, so no more skipping heart beats okay?!"

As soon as she took off her shirt she noticed that the wine had also stained her white cotton bra that was underneath.

April thought about what to do, but then took off that as well and put the sweatshirt on, against her bare skin.

It was a Boston University sweatshirt, and it smelled so good. She inhaled that scent and closed her eyes, wondering what it would be like to have that good scent all around her.

She looked in the mirror again, to check on her look. Maybe he wouldn't notice that she wasn't wearing her bra, even if the sweatshirt was way too big for her and it slightly slipped off, revealing her bare shoulder.

As she stepped out from the bathroom and into the living room she looked at him.

He had set the dining room table. Everything was ready for them to eat.

April was actually behind his back so he didn't realized she was there until she cleared her throat.

As he turned around to look at her, he stopped what he was actually doing to enjoy that amazing view.

She had caught his breath away. She was so sexy in that sweatshirt he felt impossible to take his eyes off her.

April felt his eyes on her, his gaze made her feel good. The way he was looking at her, made her feel hot. God, she had never feel anything like that before.

"I'm back!" she stated, while feeling again butterflies in her stomach.

"Well…I'm glad you're back…so glad!" he told her, slowly approaching her "This sweatshirt looks amazing on you!"

The two of them were staring at each other, devouring each other with their eyes. But neither of them were ready to make the first move. Actually Jackson was ready, more than ready. But it didn't want to ruin their first "date" and also didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable.

April was indeed ready, she was a woman after all. And he was so gorgeous. But she didn't know how to do what she wanted to do. She had never done anything like that before.

"Okay, make yourself comfortable, tonight you're my guest. Please sit down and enjoy your dinner, ok?"

She sat down. He had just filled both their glasses with the wine and before he could sit down as well, April took her glass on her hand and drank it to the last drop.

"I see you are quite thirsty" he chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm sorry…I'm quite hungry too." she replied, wiping her mouth with the napkin.

"Well, I hope your appetite will be sated by the end of the night."

**….**

They talked throughout the dinner.

They ate almost everything. Only one third of the red velvet cake was still there at the end of their dinner.

They talked about April's dream of getting back to university, they talked about Evelyn and how she enjoyed spending time with her grandma Catherine, in Boston.

They talked about Lexie and Mark: April had to explain why their dinner was cancelled, and when she told him it was because of the "dessert before dinner" Jackson let out a loud laugh, almost spilling the wine he was drinking. They both laughed actually. They laughed a lot.

Jackson was enjoying every single second with her. But, at a certain point, he had to admit she seemed very tired, he didn't know if it was because of the wine, but she had yawned several times during their dinner.

"April, are you tired?" he asked, smiling. He already knew the answer.

"Yes, I'm sorry… Maybe it was the wine…"

"Well I hope it's not because of me!" he chuckled. "Sat down on the couch, I'll be right back, okay?"

Jackson looked at her while she sat down on his couch and then went into the bathroom.

As he stepped inside, the first thing he noticed was a white cotton bra that was hanging on the side of the bathtub. The sight of her bra was too much for him. And he now realized that the wine had also stained her bra and if her bra was hanging there, she had to be naked, completely naked from the waist up underneath his sweatshirt.

He grinned at the thought of their first awkward date. Inviting her over, for dinner, had felt a little strange honestly, but since the first moment she had stepped inside, Jackson felt like she was part of his home, and wondered how it would be having her over for dinner, every night.

He inhaled deeply trying to relax himself, he had to come back to her to take her home and the fact he was feeling so aroused was not helping at all.

"Okay. Ready to go?" he asked her, but as soon as he approached her he noticed how she was lying down his couch.

"April…" he called her quietly, but she didn't answered at all. She had fallen asleep.

Jackson sat down right next to her. God, she was so beautiful.

He didn't want to seem creepy but he kept staring at her for a little while, the way her chest rose as she breathed slowly, how her lips were not completely close, how the skin on her neck and her bare shoulder seemed to be so soft. So kissable.

Every inch of her seemed to be so kissable.

He didn't want to wake her up. There was no reason to wake her up.

He picked her up from the couch and carried her on his arms, as gently as he could, down the hallway and into his bedroom.

The feeling of her body on his own made Jackson feel so warm. Inside. Now he was actually glad she had fallen asleep.

He took off her shoes and smiled as he saw how she had curled up as soon as he laid her down on his bed.

He took a blanket from his closet and covered her and then stepped outside.

**…_.._**

She suddenly woke up. She looked around and immediately straightened up. She didn't remember exactly but she was in his bedroom. Oh God. He wasn't next to her so that was definitely a good sign. Or bad. She didn't know exactly. She decided to get up. A light was seeping through the door half closed.

She took the blanket with her and stepped outside.

April walked into the living room and she saw him: he was lying down on the couch, a blanket on his legs, his right arm on his head and his bare chest in the spotlight. As she was getting closer her eyes were still glued to his chest.

Thanks for the light on the hallway, that was slightly lit up there, she could appreciated every little shade of his gorgeous chest.

Maybe it was also because of the soft light but he seemed so amazingly hot.

She got closer.

He was snoring. He was so cute. She couldn't help but giggle. But as she walked by his couch her blanket rubbed against his arm suddenly waking him up.

"Hey…." He said with his croaking voice.

"I'm so embarrassed, I fell asleep, I'm so sorry Jackson!"

"Don't be! It's okay…" he went on, straightened up in a sitting position "I didn't want to wake you up, though. What time is it?" he asked again.

"5.30" she replied.

"Well, since it's too late to go back to sleep, I think I could use an early breakfast, what do you think? Hot chocolate?" he asked her smiling.

"Yes, please" she replied. "Do you need a hand?" she asked smiling excited.

She seemed actually more at ease now than before, during the dinner, and he wasn't actually complaining about that.

They were side by side, in the kitchen. He was taking the cups from the cupboard and she decided to move right behind him to reach the drawer where he had told her there was the cutlery. She had to pass between him and the kitchen counter, so her hands automatically went on his back, as to make room for herself.

But as her finger touched his skin it was like that contact had triggered something. In both of them.

She felt as if that touch had charged her up. She wasn't able to take her hands off him.

She looked as all his muscles suddenly tensed under her touch. She heard him let out a moan as he put down the cups he had just taken from the cupboard.

He turned back to look at her. April was still froze in the same position. Her hands fixed as he turned towards her, so that now, under her fingers, there was his bare torso. She was still staring at his chest, where her fingers where touching him.

"April…" he whispered huskily. They were now facing each other but she was still looking down.

Totally unexpectedly for Jackson, instead of looking at him, April kept touching his bare chest, drawing the lines of his muscles.

"April…" he whispered again.

She didn't know what was going on with her but she couldn't stop herself. She simply couldn't. That was totally unknown for her. She didn't have done anything like that before but it was like there was this energy, this force, this magnetic attraction. And she couldn't keep her hands off from him.

"If you want me to stop just say so, and I'll stop…" she whispered, now looking directly into his eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>Hi everyone!<strong>

**:)**

**Please let me know what you think!**

**Thank you so much!**

**And sorry for my poor English!**


	7. Body

_Body _

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><p>"If you want me to stop just say so, and I'll stop..." she whispered looking directly into his eyes.<p>

"Oh God… please, keep going…" he whispered and then grabbed her neck with his hand and his mouth met hers.

But it wasn't a small peck on the lips. As soon as his mouth had met hers, April's mouth had devoured his, then their tongue had met and they were exploring each other's mouth in a way she had never done before.

She had kissed a guy before, obviously, but she had never done something like that. Her hands were travelling up and down his chest, on his neck and then again all the way down on his waist and then up on his back. Feeling his soft skin under her fingers made her feel a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach.

Jackson hands were on the back of her neck. He was losing control under her touch. She was moving her fingers on him and he was so turned on by that feeling that he felt like he was ready to explode.

Then his mouth moved from her lips to her neck, in a spot just underneath her ear and she let out a desperate moan, her hands still on his bare torso.

He suddenly moved his hands under her back and lifted her up onto the kitchen counter, effortlessness.

Her legs were wide open and wrapped around his body while his hands were now on her waist, just underneath her sweatshirt.

April's body was moving in sync with Jackson's, but she didn't know how she was doing it because she wasn't thinking at all, her mind wasn't giving instruction to her muscles, it was inevitable, everything was so incredibly spontaneous.

He touched her skin, her bare skin of her abdomen, just above her jeans and slowly started moving his hands right there. He didn't dare to move them further up, though, he wanted to be sure that she wanted that too.

"Jackson..." she whispered his name, pulling away, her hands were now on his neck.

"Yeah…"

"I have to tell you something…"

And then a cellphone rang. He was still busy on kissing her neck, in that spot that he had assumed she liked a lot.

"Jackson…it's not mine!" she pointed out, her eyes still closed, relishing that amazing feeling.

"Yeah…I…I have to get that, I'm sorry, don't move, okay? Be right back!" he told her. She chuckled, getting off from the counter and putting a hand on her lips that were so swollen now.

"Mom, hi, yeah…oh, okay… See you later… Hi sweetie! I miss you so much, too… can't wait to see you!" he smiled.

April was looking at him, fascinated by his way of dealing with his daughter.

He was kind of perfect. Flawless.

As soon as he hang up, he approached her again, grinning.

"So, where were we?" he asked her mischievously.

He was teasing her, pulling down softly the hem of her sweatshirt while attacking again her neck with his mouth.

"Jackson… I…I don't want to go too fast…" she whispered while tilting her head.

"Hey, it's okay…we don't have to do anything you don't want to, okay?" he whispered, lifting her head to meet his eyes.

"Maybe I should go home…" she told him, smiling. "Don't you have to pick Evelyn up at the airport?" she asked him.

During their dinner, actually, Jackson had told her that at 7.00 a.m. he had to be at the airport to pick up Evelyn.

"Yeah, well, actually, my mom just told me she is coming as well, I didn't know. We can wait for them, right here and then…"

"What do you mean _we_?" she asked him surprised.

He raised his brows "They had just landed, they are on their way here…"

"Oh God, I have to go! I'm calling a cab!" she told him, grabbing her bag from the couch.

Jackson took her hand and pull her in his embrace.

"April, relax. We can wait for them and then I'll take you home! They must be exhausted, they got up so early and they will go to bed as soon as they get here. Trust me."

"Jackson, I don't know…"

"Also, I can't let you go looking like that…" he went on, tugging the hem of her sweatshirt again "You're way too sexy … I'm sorry, I won't let you go!" he grinned.

"Fine!" she giggled "So, is there a plan?"

"There's no plan, actually, we have to improvise!" and he gave her a small kiss on her cheek "But first of all we have to hide away the bra you left on purpose on my bathtub…" he teased her.

...

It was 7.00 a.m. Jackson had changed into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt whereas April was still in his sweatshirt. Her clothes were in his washer-dryer but unfortunately the doorbell rang before she was actually able to put them on.

"Relax, April, this is not a big deal. My mother won't even notice."

He slowly opened the door.

"Daddy!" Evelyn shrieked and jumped in his arm.

"God! You are so heavy, how many waffles have you eat with your granny?" he joked.

Behind Evelyn there was Jackson's mother. As the two of them had stepped inside the apartment, Jackson pointed to April.

"Evelyn, do you remember April, that friend of mine from school?" he asked his little girl.

"Yesss! She's Jesse's girlfriend!" Evelyn giggled.

"Hi, Evelyn!" April smiled

"Mom, this is April Kepner, we work together at school. April this is my mother…"

"Catherine Avery, hi dear, nice to meet you!" the woman cut him off and reached for April's hand.

"Hi, Mrs. Avery, it's very nice to meet you!" April replied politely.

"Daddy! I have to brush my teeths because I ate two waffles!"

"Really?! You don't say! Let's go brush your teeth!" then he winked to April and mouthed an apology and went in the bathroom with the little girl.

April was looking at them when suddenly she felt two hands on both her cheeks.

"Are you a good girl?" Catherine asked her, looking directly into her eyes.

"I…what?" April replied shocked.

"A good girl! I don't mean perfect, I mean relatively speaking. Are you?" the woman asked again.

"I…I'm…yes, I think so…"

"How many sexual partners have you had? I won't judge!" Catherine asked again.

"I…uhm, Mrs. Avery…"

"Catherine!" The woman pointed out

"Catherine, I actually don't…"

"Fine, you don't want to tell me, it's okay dear, as long you are having safe sex. Are you and my boy having safe sex? Because I don't buy the "_we work together_" definition and also, sweetheart, it seems to me that you are indeed missing something under that outfit of yours. " she chuckled pointing at her sweatshirt.

April was speechless, while Catherine, smiling, was heading towards the hall seeing that Jackson and Evelyn where exiting the bathroom.

"Who's ready read "The Snow Mouse" with granma?" Catherine asked.

"Meeeee!" the girl shrieked.

"Goodbye April, hope to see you soon again." Catherine smiled.

Evelyn shrieked a goodbye as well and then disappeared inside her bedroom with her grandmother.

Jackson was approaching April, grinning.

"Well, are you sure you don't want to stay?" he asked putting his hands on her waist.

"Yes, Jackson, I'm sure."

"Okay, fine, let's get you home!"

...

"April, I don't understand?! Did you have sex with him or not?!"

"Lexie I told you, we didn't do anything, but we did…something, I mean, I wanted to…but…"

It was 9 p.m. April was already in her pajama pants and tank top, ready to go to bed. She was trying to make herself clear at the phone with Lexie but she couldn't explain what had happened that previous night and morning with Jackson.

"Well but you two had made out in his kitchen, right?" Lexie asked again.

"Yes I mean, but I felt so…ready…I don't know, I mean, how I know if I am ready to do _that_ or not?"

"April, trust me, our body never lies. If you felt that way, well, obviously you were ready."

"But, it's only a week that I met him and that was our first date, kind of a cooking date. But I wanted to…_you know what_…."

Lexie laughed loudly.

"April, you are hopeless! You aren't even able to say the word _sex_, you keep saying _that_ and _you know what_. Say it April, you wanted to have him, right there, on his kitchen counter. You wanted to have some good hot sex with him. Say it, for God's sake!"

"Fine, I wanted to have sex with him!" April yelled.

"Good girl, now, when are you going to see him again?" Lexie asked again.

"I don't know Lexie, tomorrow at school?"

Then they heard a knock at April's door.

"Lexie, wait a sec. This is again Mrs. Grey asking for…"

But as she opened the door she immediately realized that it wasn't actually Mrs. Grey who was at her door.

"Hi beautiful!"

That husky voice sure didn't belong to Mrs. Grey.

Jackson was leaning against the door. He was carrying a take away bag and a little wrapped packet.

"Hi" April replied, completely shocked.

"April?! April! What's going on?" she heard Lexie on the phone.

"Lexie, sorry, I got to go, I'll call you back!" and she immediately hung up. "Hi!" April said again, smiling at him.

"I brought you these" he said, handing her the take away bag and the packet.

April opened them. There was the leftover cake and her shirt and bra in the little packet.

"Thanks" she said smiling. "But how on earth did you manage to get here?" She was referring to the fact that he was on the front of her door and Mrs. Grey must have opened the main door to him and the old lady was surely not accustomed to open the door to strangers.

"Well, what can I say, I have my ways…" he replied nonchalantly.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked.

"I'd love to…" he smiled, stepping inside.

"Okay, make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back." And she disappeared in the kitchen where she set two slices of cake in two plates. She looked in the fridge but she only had a six-pack of beer.

"I'm sorry, I only have beer in the fridge." She said, approaching him.

"Beer is perfect. Thanks." He replied taking his glass while April was setting the tray with the cake onto the coffee table near the couch.

They were sat on her couch, so close that their knees were almost touching. They were both nursing their beer when suddenly Jackson started to talk.

"April, I came here because I wanted to make sure you were…" but he couldn't finish his sentence because April, with a catlike reaction, had immediately put down her glass on her table and had jumped on him. Literally. In no time her mouth was attacking his. Jackson was completely caught off guard at the point he had almost spilled his glass of beer on April's leather couch.

"Mm… April…"

"Should I not have done that?" and she took his glass from his hand, putting it down on the table and then she resumed kissing him again. But this time April had practically climbed into his lap. It was a deep kiss. April hands were gently massaging the back of his neck while he had started moving his hands slowly, from her neck to her shoulder and then along her arms.

"April, I want this, I really do, but I need to know if you want to take things slow…" he asked whispering.

She pulled away, resting her forehead on his, their noses were touching.

"I don't know… I'd never felt like that before…" she smiled.

"Well honestly, neither did I…April you are amazing, I mean I…" he said between kisses.

"Jackson I'd never done anything like that before… I'd never been with a man."

And then Jackson realized.

"Oh…Oh…Okay…" he said, clearing his throat. He was dealing with one of the most beautiful, sexy woman he had ever met and realizing that she was a virgin, was making him sweat. Maybe because a part of him was so turned on by the fact she had never been with a man and that he might be the first, but mostly because he was also scared she didn't want to.

"I'm sorry" she said getting off from him. She felt so embarrassed. She felt miserable.

"April, hey, come here" he said straightened up and grabbing her hand.

He pulled her closer to him, one hand on her waist, the other on her cheek.

"We can go as slow as you want, okay? I didn't expect that, the way you were kissing me and touching me…"

"The thing is…. this feels so good." She confessed him.

Jackson was looking at her, grinning, then he got closer to her ear and whispered "And when something feels this good, it can't be bad, don't you think?"

And he kissed her again, slowly, appreciating the feeling of her soft plump lips. God, her lips! He was imagining them all over his body. He was imagining things he shouldn't have imagined because he had to take things at her pace. He knew that.

He exhaled deeply when he realized April was regaining self-confidence because she was actually moving again her hands on his chest, above his shirt.

"Do you want to take my shirt off?" he asked, huskily.

Without saying anything, April reached the hem of his shirt and started unbuttoning it until his bare chest was on plain sight. She traced again imaginary lines on his torso and that thing was slowly but definitely turning him on. When she reached his neck, with a sudden movement, Jackson lifted her up and, carrying her on one arm, he started walking down the hallway.

"I think we need to continue this in your bedroom." he teased her unexpectedly

April giggled. She was so excited. Her body was melting in his warm embrace and she knew she was ready. Maybe it was way too early, maybe it was wrong, but he was right: something that felt that good, couldn't be bad.

"First door on the left" she answered, kissing his neck.

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><p><strong>Please, let me know what you think!<strong>

**Thank you!**


	8. Body part 2

___**RATED M!**___

* * *

><p><em><em>Body part.2 <em>_

* * *

><p>They were about to step into her bedroom, April still busy kissing his neck.<p>

He searched with his free hand for the light switch but she stopped him.

"Don't turn the lights on…"

She jumped off from him and took him by his hand, leading him towards her bed. Obviously the little light that was seeping through the door was more than enough for her to move without problem inside her room.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and he remained still a few seconds before bending over to kiss her again. She moved slowly onto the bed until she had her back on her pillows. He followed her. She was tugging him by the collar of his shirts and he just managed to kick his sneakers off somewhere in her bedroom.

"April…" he was trying to stop her. He had to slow down, he had to focus, early that morning she had told him she didn't want to go too fast but now he that he was above her and the way she was moving her hands on him, was making him lose control.

And the way she was kissing him right now. The way her tongue was exploring his mouth, the way she was stroking the back of his head, the way she was playing with her hands on his chest. She was almost scratching him and, every now and then, they were going so low on his abdomen, so dangerously low on the hem of his jeans that he felt an unmistakable stiffness inside his boxer.

"Are you sure you have never done that before?" he teased her.

April froze and pulled away from him.

"Am I doing something wrong?" she asked, visibly concerned about what he had just told her.

He exhaled, hiding his face in her shoulder, starting to kiss her and sucking her skin right there.

"You are doing so great, babe… So great!" his voice seemed desperate.

Babe. The way he called her, with that husky voice, made her heart skip a beat.

"Teach me, Jackson…" She said unexpectedly.

He stopped just for a second. He had to close his eyes and breathe slowly to calm down. She couldn't imagine how she was driving him crazy.

"April … I need you to be with me, okay? And I need you to tell me if you want me to stop."

He was now looking into her eyes, they were incredibly bright, even in that dim light.

She nodded. She was biting her lower lips. She couldn't believe she had actually said such things!

"Okay, first of all, can I take this off?" she nodded again and he took off the shirt that April had already unbuttoned completely.

As soon as he took his shirt off he bent over again, holding his body on his elbows while his other hand was on her waist. After a little while, April's breath began to increase his pattern because Jackson's hand had slipped underneath her tank top and was now moving on her flat abdomen.

His hand was so warm on her skin that April felt like she wanted him to rip off her clothes right away.

When his hand moved to the hem of her bra, her breath stopped in her throat.

"April, are you okay with that?"

"Yes…" she whispered. His mouth was on her neck and she was appreciating his gorgeous chest. She wanted to kiss him, she wanted to kiss every inch of his body but she was so involved in what he was doing that she just lay there, with her eyes closed, savoring that feelings.

Jackson moved then his hand to cup her breast, still above her bra.

"God…" she exhaled, moving her chest toward him as to give him more access.

He smirked. The fact that she was enjoying that so much was turning him on, even more.

He could feel her nipple from above the bra and he started to move his thumb in that right place. He actually wanted to rip it off but he wanted to hear her asking for more. And he didn't have to wait long for that.

"Jackson?" she called him

"Yeah…" he replied nonchalantly.

"Can you…please… can you…" but she couldn't finish her sentence, because he had started to rub on her nipple even harder.

She gasped and he smirked. "Do you like this, babe?" he asked her.

"Yeah…It's so good." she whispered.

"April, can I take this off?" he asked, tugging the hem of her tank top.

But instead of answering she pulled him away, she got up, in a sitting position and, with a sudden movement, she took off her tank top. When she brought her hand on her back trying to unhook her bra, he stopped her.

"Please, let me do this." He asked her, inviting her to lay down again. And without saying anything, she did as he told her.

When we was above her again, he brought his hand on her back and he unhooked her bra, taking it off as slowly as he could.

He was admiring her and, still in that dim light, he could see her amazing body.

He started touching on the outer sides of her breasts, just below her armpits and he could feel she was shivering.

"Are you okay?" he asked her again.

"Jackson, stop saying that and keep going…" she replied, her eyes still closed.

She was sexy as hell and he thought that maybe she was teasing him the way he was teasing her.

So, with a sudden movement, he cupped her breast and started massaging it.

"Like that?" he grinned.

"Mmm mmm" she nodded, licking her lips.

He kissed her, deeply, while his hand was taking care of both her breasts. God they were amazing, so soft.

He was so turned on that, when her hands reached the hem on his jeans again, he couldn't hold himself, anymore. And she must had noticed that because all of a sudden, she asked "Do you like this, too?"

He exhaled again. It was almost painful resisting while she was saying such things.

"Yeah, I like this, so much…" he said.

"Oh God!" she screamed again because now his mouth was on her breast and his tongue was gently playing with her nipple.

"Babe, you have to keep your voice low or that sweet old lady won't let me in next time…" he whispered, still brushing with his lips against her nipple. "Also, if you keep screaming like that I wouldn't be able to control myself anymore, babe…so, will you be a good girl?"

She chuckled.

Jackson looked at her raising his brows and she noticed it.

"I'm sorry, the thing is this morning your mother asked me if I am a good girl and..." She said smiling but he put his thumb on her mouth to stop her.

"Okay, lesson n.1, never talk about my mother when we are in a bed together, half naked, okay?"

"Okay, Professor Avery, I will be a good girl." she replied giggling.

He looked at her, grinning. She might be a virgin but she sure knew how to turn him on.

He brought his hand on her waist and looking directly into her eyes he slowly slipped it down inside her pajama pants, just above her panties.

"If you want me to stop, just say so, and I'll stop…" he whispered, smirking, quoting exactly what she had told him that early morning when they were in his kitchen.

He slowly moved his hand down, between her thighs and started rubbing on her wet center above her panties.

She was done. She felt her head spinning, she bent her knees and her breath hitched.

Then, when he was sure she was okay with that, he slipped his hand inside her panties and his fingers slid into her very wet core.

She opened her mouth and gasped.

"Babe, look at me…" he told her and suddenly he stopped, his hand was there but was still.

Just as she opened her eyes and looked at him he started moving his fingers inside her again.

"Do you like this?" he asked her. He wanted to look at her, in that sweet agony. He wanted to relish that moment.

"Jackson…" she cried his name out loud. She was near and he knew that, her muscles contracted and her whole body was started to tremble.

His lips curved into a smile "Don't fight it April, let it go…" he whispered.

And so she did it. And it was like the floor was falling down from underneath her. Like every inch of her body were on fire. And it felt so good.

"I know you asked me to not say that, but are you okay?" He asked .

She flipped on her belly, with her head on the pillow.

"I'm good…I just...I need a second…" She sighed.

He smiled. He kept staring at her, stroking her hair and all the way down on her shoulder and along her spine.

"You are so beautiful, April!" he told her while his fingers kept running down her spine and all the way up again.

She turned to look at him. He was smiling. He was so gorgeous. She couldn't believe she was actually in her bed, half naked, with him.

His fingers never stopped touching her skin and she felt her body shivering again.

She got under the covers. Slowly.

She felt his eyes staring at her naked chest. And she felt actually so desirable. Being with him made her feel pretty. She had never been so self-confident, he had this power of make her feel proud of herself, of her body, when he touched her and kissed her she felt so desirable.

"What?" she asked.

She was under the sheets, and he was above them and she knew he was actually waiting for her to say something, to let him know she wanted him to join her.

"Nothing, I was just admiring you…" he replied, smiling.

"Are you tired?" she asked him again.

"No, I'm not! Are you?" he asked her, kissing her again.

"Do you like kissing me?" She asked him unexpectedly.

He grinned. She was playing with him and he liked that, a lot. So he went on.

"You don't answer a question with another question, Ms. Kepner."

She was biting her lower lip and he got closer to her ear and whispered.

"Can I join you in there?"

She nodded. And she stared at him while he stood up, he unbuckled his belt and he took off his jeans.

He crawled in the bed with her, with his boxer shorts still on, and she was glad about that.

As much as she was excited and ready and everything, the thought of him completely naked in front of her would make her go full crazy. She was sure about that.

"April? Are you okay?"

She had been lost in her thoughts for a few seconds and he had noticed that.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" he was touching her again, on her abdomen and something stirred deep inside her body.

She took his hand and led it further down.

He grinned again sliding his hands between her thighs. She was ready.

"Jackson…" she called him out desperately as she realized what he was about to do again.

"Just a second, babe." He slowly straightened up, sitting on his knees, spreading her legs wide open. He slowly took her legs, one at a time and he slid her pajama pants down to her feet. When he had taken it off and she was only in her panties he stopped to stare at her with his roving eyes.

When he bent over her, she felt his hardness just between her thighs and she wrapped his legs around his waist.

He was kissing her neck.

"Jackson, please…" he called out again. She didn't know exactly what she was asking for but she knew she wanted more. Her body wanted more.

She grabbed the elastic band of his boxer and he took the hint, taking them off.

He then reached out for his wallet, taking out a condom. When he resumed his position he was ready for her.

"Relax…" he said, while slowly moving her panties to a side and sliding into her.

She gasped. It wasn't as awkward as she expected it to be. She looked at him. He wasn't moving at all.

"April?" he asked, a little concerned.

"Yeah…" she let out. She was moving underneath his body. The way she was moving her hips towards him removed all his doubts.

"God, April you feel so good…" he exhaled and started moving slowly inside of her.

She was kissing his neck and her hands were travelling on his body. He was so gorgeous. His body was unbelievably sexy. She was stroking his head but her hands were shaking. Her eyes were shut. And when she started to move her hips again, she heard him groaning.

"If you keep doing that I won't last long" he told her. He was kissing her neck while thrusting into her deeply but slowly and she felt she was so close again.

He was sucking the skin on her neck and using his tongue as well.

"Jackson…" she called him out.

She heard him groaning above her as she was moving her hands on his back.

"Babe, are you there?" he asked, while his hand was on her breast again, keeping up his massage, moving now her nipple between his fingers.

"Babe come with me" he said and then her body tightened and shivered and as she reached her climax she couldn't help but crying out his name. And he came right after her.

Their bodies rested entangled for a little while. He was the first to speak.

"God April, you were amazing!" he told her, still panting.

She was still trying to catch her breath when they both heard someone knocking at her door.

"April, dear, open up!" they heard from behind her door.

"God, this is Mrs. Grey!" she told him, bringing her hand on her mouth.

"I told you to keep your voice down…" he said, kissing her neck again.

"I have to go, I have to go…" she got off from the bed, nearly pushing him down, looking for her clothes.

She managed to find them and, as soon as she put them on, she ran at her door.

"Mrs. Grey, hi!" she greeted as she opened the door, trying to fixing her messy hair.

The old lady was looking at her, quite shocked.

"I heard someone screaming, are you okay, dear?"

The old lady was actually trying to peek inside but April was keeping the door half-closed.

"I am fine, more than fine actually… no screaming at all…" April said visibly embarrassed

"But I heard someone screaming…"

"It was…the television" April stated suddenly "Yeah, you know, there's this new reality show about…"

"Is that fine man still here with you, dear?" the old lady cut her off.

"Erhmm…yeah, he is…we were actually…" April was trying to find a good excuse.

"It's my birthday, actually" Suddenly Jackson was behind her, hopefully with his shirt and jeans on, with a plate of the cake in his hand. "We were celebrating!" he said smirking to April.

"You seem such a nice boy, you have the prettiest eyes!" the old lady stated. Then she went on "Are you married?"

"Uhm, no, ma'am!" he replied, looking shocked.

"Oh, well, dear, in that case, I hope I didn't interrupt anything..." she said, looking at April, then she turned back and went downstairs.

April mouth dropped, while Jackson burst out in a loud laughter.

"Oh my God! Do you think she figured it out?" April asked, as she closed the door.

Jackson smiled then went to put back the plate on the table. When he reached her again, he put both his hands on her waist.

"Are we on a reality show?" he teased her, trying to kiss her.

"Jackson I'm being serious!" she giggled, smacking his chest "Do you think she figured out what's going on?"

He kissed her on her neck. "Why, April, what's going on here?" he teased her, lifting her up and carrying her again on her bedroom.

"I like when you kiss me on the neck…" she said.

Just one kiss of his and she was at his mercy. She would have let him do anything he wanted to do with her.

"I'm glad because I like kissing your neck..." he whispered, brushing his mouth in the spot right under her ear.

"What else do you like?" she whispered.

"April…"

He stopped by the doorframe, covering her body with his own. His hands on her face, kissing her deeply.

"You drive me crazy, you know that?" He told her as he had to pull away to catch his breath.

She wanted to say something as well, but she couldn't because he went on talking.

"The day I met you, I had to admit you caught my attention but when I saw you in that sexy outfit, God April, I felt like a horny 15 years old…" he kept on saying, while kissing her again.

"I thought about you so much April. You are amazing and I want to get to know you. I barely know you and I want to know everything about you. April, I like you, a lot…the more I'm with you, the more I like you…"

April looked at him, she was so confused.

"Jackson, are you okay?"

"I…yeah, I'm sorry …I just..." he looked down. He sure was upset with something but she couldn't understand. She wanted to ask, but maybe that was not the right time. He seemed so vulnerable. She took his face on her hands and she kissed his lips.

"Do you want to stay the night?" she asked him, sheepishly, "I totally understand if you have to come back to Evelyn but if you want to…"

April saw his face lightening up, his gorgeous smile was again visible on his face.

"I'd love to, Evelyn is not a problem, she's with my mother. Let me just call them, okay?" he replied giving her a sweet peck on her lips.

April looked at him, while was taking his phone from his jacket and she stepped inside her bedroom.

She looked in the mirror.

She didn't completely understand what she was doing with him, what that truly meant for her. The only thing she knew was that she needed him, being with him had changed her deeply, and she liked her new self.

She slipped into bed, switching on her night-lamp. Waiting for him.

"So, Evelyn fell asleep right after dinner and you can't believe want my mom just told me..." he said as soon as he was under the sheets right next to her.

"To have safe sex?" April chuckled.

She felt his body hugging her from behind, his arms around her, and his head on the crook of her neck.

"How do you know that?" he was confused but he knew his mother and thinking about what April had previously told him about being a "good girl", well, everything was making sense.

She turned her head to look at him. "She asked me if I'm actually a good girl, and how many sexual partners I have had and she also recommended to have safe sex!" April chuckled again.

"I'm sorry, she's such a meddler..." he chuckled as well. "Come here..." he said, flipping onto his back, lifting his arm.

April rested her head on his left shoulder, their legs were intertwined. She put her palm on his chest while he started stroking gently her hair.

"Are you glad we did that?" He asked

"Mhmm mmm" she nodded

"Are you sure?" he asked again.

She lifted her head to look at him.

"Jackson, I'm fine, and I'm glad we did it..." she smiled.

"You were great, I mean... you were amazing... I still can't believe this was your first...I mean, not that I'm complaining...I'm actually so glad... you were so great..." he told her, brushing his thumb on her lips.

"Thank you." she stated proudly, resuming her position on him.

She felt changed. He had changed her. Her first time had been so special. He was special. She smiled thinking about the fact she had waited so long to meet him. He was the perfect guy. He was the right guy. They barely knew each other but she agreed with him: the more she was with him, the more she liked him. And thinking about all those years she had spent waiting for the perfect guy, well, it was definitely worth the wait.


	9. Testosterone

_Testosterone _

* * *

><p>A faint light was seeping through her bedroom's shutters.<p>

April had to remove his arm from her waist to be actually able to sneak out of bed without waking him up. She wanted to take a shower.

She carefully manage to do that without waking him up.

It was 6.30. It was Monday morning and they had to go to school. But she could let him sleep a little while longer. She looked at him. He was sleeping so peacefully. On the other hand, she couldn't actually say she felt well rested. She felt so tired. She actually hadn't sleep that much.

Last night, before falling asleep, they had talked a lot. He had asked her so many questions, mostly about her previous romantic relationships. She had already made herself perfectly clear that her "sexual experience resume" was definitely a blank page. Until that night.

Gosh! It had been exactly 7 days since she met him and she had already had sex with him and she had actually slept with him, in the true sense of the word.

She had always thought that sleeping with someone, in the same bed, was a very intimate experience no matter what they would or would not have done together in that bed.

She had always thought she had to trust deeply someone to be able to actually sleep right next to him.

And the reasin she hadn't actually sleep a lot was actually a different issue. The thing was she was definitely too excited.

She was so excited that she would have jumped him, again and again, that night but she didn't want to give him the wrong impression.

But God, he was so gorgeous. And the few things he had done with his fingers! God!

She was into the shower, the hot water was running down on her body from her head to her toes and as she started moving her hands on her own body she wondered how would have been to have his hands. His hot, big hands all over her body, again.

She was thinking too much! She had to stop doing that!

She stepped out from the shower rubbing a towel on her body and hair.

Her hair were still wet when she stepped into her bedroom again.

She left the door opened, so that the light from her hallway would allow her to take her clothes from the closet and get changed. She wanted to go to make breakfast for them. But as she stepped inside she saw him and she actually kept staring. He must have moved in his sleep because he was now sleeping on his back, his naked chest on plain view.

He was so unbelievably gorgeous.

It was probably because of her eyes glued to his chest that she didn't notice his jeans on the floor and she tripped, falling down on the floor with a loud thud.

Jackson immediately straightened up in a sitting position, looking around.

"April?"

"Yes, it's me! I'm so sorry, did I wake you up?" she asked, embarrassed.

"Yeah, I mean…What are you doing? Are you okay?" he asked, a little concerned.

He couldn't see her perfectly because she was still on the floor and only her head was peering from the bed.

"Yes, I…I tripped, sorry…I didn't see your jeans on the floor and…" She had just stood up and now he could see her whole figure and her hair seemed wet and she only wore a towel around her body.

Jackson sat up properly.

"Did you take a shower?" he asked, smirking.

But she wasn't looking at him and she actually kept on with her mortified rambling speech.

"Yes … I thought…I took a shower, and I wanted to make breakfast…"

"I would have joined you…" he told her again, cutting her off, and this time she turned to look at him.

He was grinning. He was sat with his arms behind his head.

"Jackson!" she called him, with a reprimanded tone, but truth to be told she didn't know if she was more embarrassed or amused from his way of flirting with her.

"April…" he called her still smirking. "…take that towel off."

She looked at him, and her cheeks went on fire.

"Jackson!" she giggled again.

"April, please, drop the towel…" he was begging her.

She was indeed self-confident but not as self-confident to stand naked in front of him.

She got closer and sat down on her bed next to him.

He reached her ear and whispered "I have already seen your hot body, you know…" and grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her deeply.

April tried to move under the sheets with him, with her towel still on, but he stopped her, grabbing her by her waist and moving her to sit on his lap.

As she sat she could immediately feel his large bulge underneath her.

"As a bio teacher I assume you happen to know that testosterone level increases in the morning, right?" he said to her nonchalantly, while brushing his hands on her legs. He started to go further up until both his hands reached her waist, underneath the towel.

She kissed him deeply while her hands were on his face. She could feel under her fingers his scruffy beard. And he looked even sexier.

He then pulled away and went on talking "They say that's why morning sex is so…." His hands were going further up until they were now cupping her breasts. "Amazing!" he spelled this last word squeezing her breasts a little.

She gasped and shivered, kissing his neck, biting and sucking his skin. She was going crazy under his touch. Both his thumbs were playing with her nipples and she felt the need of feel him between her thighs.

"Do you wanna try?" he asked her again.

She nodded.

He then reached for his wallet on the bedside table.

"I am so grateful with my mother, not that I wasn't thinking about doing that, with you…but she strongly suggested me to buy them in my way here and I will be eternally grateful with her for that…"  
>She giggled.<p>

He then kissed her again and the he said "Now, no more talking about my mother! We are in the bed together, half naked..."

* * *

><p>"Lexie! Do you have a second?"<p>

It was noon and they were at school. April stepped into Lexie's class. Her friend was busy with her school register and her students' essays.

"Hey Apes, sure… You still have to tell me everything about Saturday night! I didn't quite understand, you know…" Lexie answered, giving her a quick glance and then resuming flipping through the essays.

"Yeah…about that… I did it!" April blurted out.

"You did what exactly?" Lexie asked again without even looking at her.

April moved right in front of Lexie's desk.

"Do you remember you told me to…go to the carnival?"

Lexie lifted her head to look at her. "The carnival?!"

"God, Lexie, you told me I should go to the carnival, because I'm 30 years old and I've never been to the carnival before…" April was trying to explain her metaphor.

"Oh, the carnival…" Lexie was now realizing.

"I went there! I went to the carnival with Jackson!" April told her, keeping her voice low, smiling.

"You went to the carnival with Jackson?" Lexie repeated, trying as well to keep her voice low.

"Yes and I rode all the rides, and they are so good!" April stated, closing her eyes.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Lexie got immediately up from her chair and hugged her tightly, her huge belly between them.

"April, I am so happy, oh God, I'm so happy for you, finally…I mean…finally…" But Lexie's voice was changing from excited as hell to sobbing in just a couple of seconds.

"Lexie, are you crying?" April was completely taken aback

"Yes, I'm actually having these weird emotional breakdowns lately, the freaking pregnancy hormones, you know…but I'm fine...I'm so happy for you, my friend!"

"Oh, okay!" April smiled, rubbing her back.

"Oh, come on, you have tell me all the details! First of all, did he use protection?" Lexie asked, wiping off her tears.

"Yes, of course! Can you believe his mother asked me the same question?"

April was about to start her usual rambling speech and she didn't pay attention to Lexie, whose face had changed expression.

"April? What did you just say?" She asked, smirking.

"I said yes, we used protection!"

"No, I mean, you said his mother asked you… April did you actually meet his mother?"

"Yes, Lexie, it's not a big deal!" April replied.

"It IS a big deal, April! Men tend to avoid introducing their girlfriend to their mothers."

"I'm not his girlfriend!" April cut her off.

"Well he introduced you to his mother, I'm sorry you kinda is!" Lexie stated.

"And…he has a child, too…a daughter!" April confessed, whispering.

She used to tell Lexie almost everything, but she had respected Jackson's privacy and April had on purpose, avoided to talk about Evelyn with her friend. Until then.

But Lexie was looking at her in the same way. No reactions at all. And April realized.

"Lexie! You knew that in the first place, admit it!"

"I'm sorry April, okay, I knew it, but it was confidential, and I promised Mark and telling you was not fair to Mc Hottie, okay? He had to play his own cards and he actually did great…I mean…he cashed your V-card!"

"Lexie!" April scolded her, embarrassed.

"Oh, come on! Now tell me, was it good?" Lexie asked her.

April closed her eyes and exhaled "It was so good, Lexie! So good! And this morning he was…"

"This morning?" Lexie asked, incredulously.

"Yes and it was so gentle and he did a few things that I...oh God…" April had her eyes closed.

"Oh April, I can't believe I can finally talk about sex with you!" Lexie stated and they both laughed.

The bell ranged and April had to go back into her class.

She was thinking about him again. It was only a few hours she hadn't see him but she missed him already.

She sat at her desk and when all her students were sitting in their seats she spoke up.

"Okay guys, open your book at page 23, we will start a new chapter today: the respiratory system…"

"How about the reproductive system, Ms. Kepner!" It was Leo, obviously, from the bottom of the class. All the students laughed and April scolded them.

She was accustomed to their jokes and their favorite topic, as teenagers, was obviously sex. But today she felt she was reacting differently about that. She felt her cheeks flushed.

"Guys, I warn you, next week you are going to have a test on that!" she told them with a reprimanded tone

As the students were quiet again and, she was about to start her lesson she heard the message tone of her cell phone ringing inside her purse.

She immediately took it out and she silenced it put it on vibrate mode.

But she couldn't avoid noticing the sender. Jackson.

_"Hi gorgeous!" _That was it!

She smiled but didn't reply and put the phone again inside her purse. She actually wanted to reply but she thought that would be a bad example for her students. She had been always very strict about not using cell phones in class and she had to follow that rule as well. But during the first half hour of lesson she found it extremely difficult not looking at her phone again, because she felt her phone vibrating at least a dozen times again.

When the bell rang again, she looked at her students. They had behaved during her lesson, except Leo and a few others but they were teenagers, and April had always been very compliant with them. They had a further hour of lesson together.

"Guys, do you have any questions?"

Sarah raised her hand.

"Yes Sarah…"

Sarah was the best student of hers. She felt a little sorry because, after that morning, when the girl had confessed her, she didn't even ask about her.

April was just replying to the girl when suddenly they heard a knock at the door.

It was Mark.

"Good Morning, everyone. Sorry to interrupt there is someone I want you to meet. This is Professor Taylor, from Seattle University. He's here to invite you all to Seattle University open day, next week."

A very tall guy was standing right next to Mark. It looked also very young.

"This is April Kepner, our biology teacher" Mark introduced her. She smiled to the guy and he smiled back at her.

"Matthew Taylor, very nice to meet you!"

**...**

The bell rang again. Finally.

April was still in her classroom. Mark had left them as soon as he had introduce her to Professor Taylor.

Well, Matthew, as he had insisted with her to call him by his first name.

He had just finished his speech, he had talked to the students for almost an hour and a couple of times during his long yet interesting speech she thought he had actually flirted with her.

"_I don't know how you boys are able to concentrate, when I was in High School we didn't actually had such cute teachers" _

She had looked at him shocked when she had heard him say that, but he had went on talking nonchalantly, while some of the boys had clapped their hands in approval. Yes, he was definitely flirting with her. Was it inappropriate? No. How did she feel about that? Well, she didn't know. Maybe a little fluttered. But just a little.

"Ms. Kepner, I hope I didn't upset you" he told her as soon as the students had left the classroom and the two of them were alone.

She looked at him. Honestly she was a little upset.

"Well, Professor Taylor…"  
>"Matthew, please….call me Matthew" he cut her off.<p>

"Matthew…" she went on "…that was a little inappropriate. They are teenagers, and we should teach them to…"

"I know April, can I call you April?" he cut her off again.

She nodded a little and he went on.

"I know and I'm sorry…It was weird, it sounded like sexual harassment but that was only a sincere form of flattery!"

He was smiling at her and she felt so embarrassed. She was looking at him while he kept staring at her smiling.

"April?"

She startled. A familiar voice was calling her from outside the door.

"Jackson?!… Hi!... This is Matthew, I mean Professor Taylor…" she was babbling in a complete and utter confusion.

Jackson walked inside, frowning at him.

"Matthew Taylor, nice to meet you"

"Jackson Avery." He replied, shaking his hand, coldly.

"Well Professor Taylor came here to invite our students to the Seattle University open day" she stated.

She was sure that Jackson was looking strangely at him, but she didn't quite understand what that exactly meant.

"Please, call me Matthew and yes, I was here on behalf of Seattle University to invite your Senior class to our open day, that will take place next Monday."

There was a moment when the three of them had remained completely still.

Jackson was looking at the Matthew, April was looking at Jackson and Matthew on the other hand was actually looking at both of them.

Frankly, one should have expected it was Jackson's turn to speak up but he had remained completely still. It was awkward.

"Okay, I should go now, it was a pleasure to meet you guys and I'm looking forward to meeting you there next week. Bye" Matthew told them.

"Goodbye and thanks." April replied politely.

Jackson was now looking at her, smirking.

"What?!" she asked.

"I texted you, a dozen times and you didn't even replied once" he stated

"I was…busy!" she answered, while grabbing her jacket from the coat rack behind the door.

"With him?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

She turned back to look at Jackson, while closing the zip of her leather jacket.

"What? No! I was busy teaching my class, I'm a teacher!" she replied, smirking as well.

"Well I know that, a very _cute_ teacher!" he stated, getting closer to her.

She looked at him in disbelief.

"How do I know that? Well, I was in the hallway and I heard some of your students talking about that guy from Seattle university, wait, if I'm not mistaken one of them said exactly, and I quote _he was totally hitting on Ms. Kepner_. So I asked that student of yours, what's her name again? Sarah?"

"You asked Sarah?!" April couldn't believe her ears.

Jackson was now only a few inches from her. She had her back against the wall and he had put his hand right next to her as to trap her, right there. He took off his bag from his shoulder and put it down on the floor.

Then he went on talking. "Yes, I asked her, and she actually told me what happened."

"And what happened exactly?" April giggled as he was playing with the zip on her jacket.

He grinned and reached for her ear whispering.

"You know that he was totally hitting on you, don't lie to me…" and he gave her a small peck just above her ear.

"Jackson, we are at school, we can't….do that!" she whispered as she felt his kisses running down on her neck.

He pulled away. He was grinning.

"Oh, I see, you can flirt with him but you can't kiss your boyfriend?"

April grabbed his face in her hand.

"What did you just say?" She was smiling and Jackson knew that she had heard him perfectly.

He smiled back at her, she was having the reaction he was hoping for.

"In other words, can I kiss my girlfriend?" he asked her.

But instead of answering she pulled his face toward her and she kissed him deeply.

He was thinking of her as his girlfriend.

"It feels nice to be called that way" she told him as she pulled away.

"You should definitely get used to it!" he grinned "But please, I don't want to get used to feel this way, I don't want to be a jealous boyfriend!" he pouted

"It's not my fault if you are jealous..." she stated.

"No? Then whose fault is that?" he asked smirking.

"Your testosterone's levels, way too high!" she joked.

"So what do you say?" he asked her

"About what?"

"You haven't even read my text, have you?...Well I was asking you if I can crash at you place again, tonight... what do you say?"

* * *

><p><strong><em>Another one! Yes! <em>**

**_Really hope you like this chapter and if you do, please, let me know what you think!_**

**_Thank you so so much!_**


	10. Baby come home

_Baby come home_

* * *

><p>"Okay sweetie, it's time to give your grandma a super duper hug of yours!"<p>

It was Saturday morning.

Jackson and Evelyn were at the airport with Catherine. Her flight to Boston were scheduled in less than an hour.

"Okay, little miss, I'm expecting you and your father to come home for Thanksgiving! In the meanwhile be a good girl and look after your daddy for me, okay?" Catherine told Evelyn while she was in her arm.

The girl giggled and nodded with her head.

"And Jackson, if you want to invite also….wait… what's her name again? June, May… I can't remember…" Catherine joked, winking at him.

"It's Apvvil!" the girl giggled.

"That's right sweetie, is she the one with that super gorgeous hair?!"

"Yes, she is grandma!" Evelyn nodded proudly.

Evelyn in that last week, every now and then, had mention with her grandma how she liked April's hair and how she wanted to have them as well.

And that was one of the reason why Catherine had insisted with Jackson on inviting April over for dinner. And, luckily, April had agreed.

Catherine wanted to get to know her. She had seemed maybe a little embarrassed at first, but then she had acted completely at ease.

Catherine could see in her son's eyes how much he cared about April and that was why she wanted to know her better. She had to be sure that she could be right for her son. She was a meddler, yes, but she couldn't help it.

And the fact that had surprised Catherine the most was that the more she knew her the more she liked her. April was such a lovely girl. And there was no need of asking April what her intentions towards Jackson were; the way her and Jackson were looking at each other spoke for them. There was surely something special between them. And they way April was dealing with Evelyn was great. Catherine could picture the three of them already together, as a family.

"Okay, so it's done! I'm waiting for her too!" Catherine stated enthusiastically.

"Mom, please!" Jackson was scolding her.

"Oh Jackson come on, I've seen the two of you, and it's something that you can't simply hide away. She's special! I've seen you all alone with your beautiful daughter for so long, and now it's time to change."

Jackson was looking at Evelyn, who was now busy playing with her two sparkling plush unicorns.

"I don't want to rush into things…" Jackson confessed.

"Jackson Avery, don't lie to me, I know it's not just sex!" she stated

She only gave him her famous -_I know what's going on_!- look and he exhaled.

"Of course it's not just sex! I have feelings for her!" he admitted

His mother gave him a tight hug, then she pulled away and gently stroked his cheek.

"Jackson, give yourself a chance to be happy. Your daughter will be happy as well, haven't you seen her when April is around? Trust me baby boy…I'm using my super meddling powers for good!" and she gently slapped his cheek.

He chuckled.

"Okay, it's time for me to go! Love you both!" she smiled and went through the check in.

Jackson picked up Evelyn in his arms and they both waved to Catherine until she disappeared from their sights.

"Ok Evie! Let's go now! Are you hungry?" he told her. It was almost noon and the girl would be sure hungry.

"Yes daddy, I want to go to Wendy's!"

They exited the airport and reached their car.

As Jackson was putting her in her child seat, the girl suddenly asked.

"Daddy? Can we invite Apvvil, too?"

...

April was in her kitchen. She had just got home from the grocery store, the bags were on her kitchen table and she was busy putting everything in order. Her kitchen was a total mess.

She heard her cell phone rang and as she looked at the caller ID she smiled.

It was Jackson.

She was thinking at the past week. They had spent together most of their spare time. Evelyn was with her grandmother so Jackson was more than okay with that.

She had lost trackhad slept together almost every night since their first night.

He had come over around 6, almost every afternoon, bringing always something with him: a bottle of wine, ice cream. And that night she remembered they had actually skipped dinner and they had practically run into her bedroom.

It was last Wednesday! She remembered perfectly because he had told her that his mother had insisted on inviting her over for dinner. And, at first, April was completely taken aback and all she could do was telling him that she'd rather think about that, but Catherine Avery was actually coming back to Boston in a couple of days, so April didn't have much time to think about that. And Jackson seemed actually so enthusiatic about the dinner that April didn't seem to have a choice.

So, last Thursday night, Jackson had come to pick her up and he had brought her home with him.

She remembered vividly that evening.

_Flashback_

"_Hey guys, we're here!" Jackson announced as he opened the door!_

_April stepped inside first and Evelyn ran immediately towards her!_

"_Hey Evelyn!" April greeted her, slightly bending over to be at the little girl's eye level._

_But Evelyn instead of answering was spinning around as she was showing her outfit._

_The little girl was in fact wearing a pink sparkly dress. She was even wearing a little tiara._

"_Oh, you are beautiful, Princess Evelyn!" April told her, played along with her._

_The girl giggled, bowing slightly._

"_Well April, it's nice to see you again!" Catherine was approaching her, while Jackson was leading Evelyn to wash her hands to be ready for dinner._

"_Likewise, Mrs. Avery!"_

"_Sweetheart, I already told you to call me Catherine!" the woman smiled._

_April smiled sheepishly. "Catherine, this is a little something I made for dessert" she stated, handing Catherine a cake box. Catherine took the box in her hands and opened it a little, peeking inside._

"_It's a red velvet cake, I hope you like it!" April said and before Catherine could answer they heard Jackson on the hallway "It's amazing, I already told you!" _

_Catherine was now looking at April, smirking._

"_Well, he had already tasted a little bit of it…" April admitted._

"_Well dear, since my son lately seems to have a really good taste, I bet this is really really good!" Catherine winked._

_..._

"Hey!" April answered her phone.

"Hey beautiful! What took you so long?!" Jackson asked

"Oh, nothing, it's just, I was busy..."

"Busy with what?" he asked again, getting curious.

"I was... actually I am putting the groceries away. Are you guys on your way back from the airport?" April replied

"Yes, we are, and we are hungry! Would you like to join us at Wendy's?" he asked her

"Uhm, I don't know, I'm a little busy, my kitchen is a mess!"

"Oh, come on, we are on our way to pick you up!" Jackson stated.

"Come on!" April could hear in the background Evelyn shrieking.

That girl had surely the highest pitched voice April had ever heard.

And that dinner came to her mind again.

_Flashback_

_The dinner had gone on perfectly well. Catherine was actually an excellent cook._

_They were eating April's cake and Evelyn had asked for another slice of it._

"_Oh daddy!" Evelyn shrieked loudly, as his father, by accident, had dropped a bit of cake on her dress._

"_Oh, Evie, I'm sorry! Come here, we'll go get changed right away! Excuse us!" he chuckled as the girl pouted and he disappeared with his daughter down the hallway._

_April was looking in their direction, smiling when suddenly Catherine brought her back to the reality._

"_He's so great with her. You know, I was really worried when he decided to move here alone, with her. But I have to admit he is doing a great job with her." Catherine stated, pouring more wine on both hers and April's glasses._

"_She's adorable. She is the world to him." April stated._

"_Yes, she is! And she adores him too" Catherine went on, sipping her wine. "And you know who else she adores? You my dear!"_

_April looked down at her glass, visibly embarrassed._

"_She's in love with your hair, April. She is constantly asking if she can have them, as well!" Catherine chuckled._

_And April couldn't help but chuckle as well._

_Then, unexpectedly Catherine took April's hand in hers. "I'm not supposed to say that but I was actually glad when Evelyn's mother left them. I know, it sounds horrible to say, but when I first met Stephanie, and they told me they were expecting a baby, I immediately knew she wasn't ready to be a mother. And Jackson was definitely not in love with her. But he was ready to give it a try, for the baby, you know… Anyway, you on the other hand, I can see you have this sort of maternal instinct. I can see that…"_

_April was looking at her, visibly shocked. She didn't expect the conversation would focus on Jackson's ex girlfriend. Or even her maternal instict._

"_April, dear, I don't want to embarrass you…" but they were cut off when Evelyn appeared in front of them, in a new shiny white dress, her tiara still on._

"_Sweetie, you look fabulous!" Her grandma stated._

_But the little girl was actually looking at April, waiting for her judgment._

"_Evelyn you're even more beautiful in this dress!" April stated enthusiastically. And unexpectedly the little girl climbed onto her lap, giggling._

_April smiled, locking eyes with Jackson, who was standing on the other side of the table. He was smiling back._

_Then April felt Catherine's hand on her shoulder "Well, dear, that's exactly what I was saying!" she whispered. _

_..._

"Finally!" Jackson stated as April hopped into his car. She had actually agreed to join them for lunch, but she couldn't leave her apartment until her kitchen was all tied up. She was a little maniac of cleaning up and tidying up.

"Hi Apvvil!" Evelyn greeted her.

"Hi Evelyn! Sorry for making you wait so much…" she told them

"We're happy you're finally here!" Jackson told her, and grabbed her chin with his hand and gave her a peck on her lips!

"Daddy!" the girl shrieked, excited, clapping her hands.

April's eyes widened.

"Jackson!" April scolded him, putting a hand on her mouth as to wipe off that kiss.

But Jackson was smirking and didn't pay attention at April, instead he was looking at her daughter in the rearview mirror, amused.

"Evelyn, do you know that April is no longer Jesse's girlfriend?"

Evelyn's made the sweetest frowning face.

And he smiled, going on talking.

"Yes, sweetie, April is no longer Jesse's girlfriend because now she is my girlfriend… and that's why I kissed her!"

April looked at him, and he put a hand on her leg, brushing it lightly.

The little girl remained silent for a few seconds, then she sighed.

"Evelyn, aren't you happy that April is daddy's girlfriend?" Jackson asked.

"Yes, daddy but…. feel sorry for Jesse!" she simply stated, cuddling her bear in her arms.

"I think Jesse will be just fine after a milkshake with a lot of whipped cream, what do you say?" April had suddenly and unexpectedly stepped in the conversation.

Jackson looked at her, with his gorgeous sparkling look and she knew exactly what he was thinking. She had already seen that look before. The night when he had taken her back home, after dinner.

"Jackson, don't look at me like that, please?" she whispered

"Like what? I could use some whipped cream too!" he told her, nonchalantly.

April was looking at Evelyn, in the backseat; luckily, she was completely unaware of what they were referring to.

_Flashback_

"_Jackson…" she exhaled._

"_Babe, I can't help it… You drive me crazy!" _

_He was supposed to drop her off home, after the dinner. But they had started a make out session in his car and when April got out of his car he had followed her inside. They were running upstairs to her apartment, as fast as they could, but he kept kissing her neck and his hands were slipping under her blouse and she felt her legs so weak._

_She didn't know how but when she finally managed to open her door and get inside, he scooped her up and didn't bother to carry her in her bedroom. He went straight into her kitchen and deposited her on the kitchen counter._

"_Don't ask me why but tonight I found almost unbearable to keep my hands off of you… God…you are so hot, April!" he told her, still kissing her neck, while busy unbuttoning her blouse._

_She was sitting onto her kitchen counter, her eyes closed, her legs wrapped around her waist, supporting her back with her hands on the edge of the counter._

"_Jackson…" she moaned._

_It was incredible how he was able to drive her crazy with only a few kisses of his. He had a special fondness for that spot on her neck, mostly because he had realized how she responded when he was kissing her, right there._

_He opened her blouse and tossed it away and his hands found immediately their way to her breast._

_He was squeezing them gentle, his hands above the cotton of her bra and when he found her nipples his thumbs started rubbing on them. He was still kissing her neck. She let out a breath. Her eyes still closed._

_He couldn't resist but teasing her. She was so sexy when she was in his hands, when she was unable of doing or saying anything, just lying there letting him doing whatever he wanted to._

_Suddenly her eyes opened and her hands moved to his waist, fumbling with the buckle of his belt._

_He was now looking into her eyes, with his gorgeous sexy look._

"_Babe I'm not done with you yet…" he smirked, unhooking her bra. "Do you still have some of that whipped cream you use for the cake?"_

_..._

They spent an incredible day together. After their stop at Wendy's, they had taken a walk in the park, then they had stopped at the mall, because Jackson had promised Evelyn a brand new pair of ballerina shoes and now they were on their way back home.

"Jackson, where are we going?" April noticed they weren't actually on _her_ way home.

"We're going home!" He turned and smiled to her.

"Daddy, please, can we invite Apvil four dinner?" Evelyn asked.

He laughed loudly and then he turned to April.

"See, I just happen to be a step ahead. That's it!"

As they arrived home, Evelyn had insisted to show April her _magical_ closet, almost dragging her in her bedroom.

The little girl was showing her all her clothes from her wardrobe and she giggled whenever April pretended to trying them on.

"Okay, ladies, it's time to eat!" April and Evelyn heard Jackson calling out for them from down the hallway.

"You are too big for them!" Evelyn told her.

"Oh, it's too bad because they are so beautiful!" April stated.

"Well ask daddy if you want them too!" Evelyn told her.

"I will ask your daddy!" April agreed

"Ask her daddy for what?" Jackson cut them off, emerging from the open door.

"April wants my clothes too. She said they're beautifuley!"

He raised his eyebrows looking at April and she laughed.

"Beautiful Evelyn! Not beautifuley! Come on now, it's time to eat! Chop chop!" He encouraged her, clapping his hands and patting Evelyn's back as she tried to run away.

When they finished their dinner, April thought she couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so much. It was amazing being there with them!

Jackson had just finished washing the dishes when April called him, almost whispering, pointing at Evelyn who had fallen asleep on the couch with her, while they were watching cartoons. And Jackson had immediately lifted his daughter up in his arms, carrying her in her bedroom.

April was now waited for him, right there.

When Jackson came back, he stood right in front of her and with his hand, invited her to stand up with him.

He put his hand on her waist, and with the other lifted her chin to meet his gaze.

"I'm glad you're here. I've never done something like that before and it feels really really good" He confessed.

She was smiling at him. Her hands were on his neck. They were looking into each other's eyes.

"It's nice to have you here, at home, with us..." he admitted

Until now, they had only been Evelyn and him. But now there was April, and everything was different.

April stood on her tip of her toes and hugged him tightly. She was slowly processing what he had just said to her.

She felt as she could have burst with joy.

* * *

><p><strong>As usual, let me know what you think! Hope this little flashbackpresent time was okay!**

**I'm planning on shaking things up a little from now on!**

**Thank you so much to those who left reviews. I'm really grateful for that!**


	11. Bubbles

_rated T/M_

_Bubbles_

* * *

><p>"Well I don't get it, April. You are adults. There is nothing wrong. Besides, as Mark always says, keep it straight PG-13!"<p>

Lexie and April were talking as they used to do at the school cafeteria.

The point was that April actually knew Lexie was right. There was nothing wrong with a kiss on her boyfriend's lips when they were entering school together, or after lunch or as they were in the hallway or in the parking lot.

And it wasn't either she didn't want to. God, his lips were amazing, it was so difficult to resist him. He was an amazing kisser. Along with the amount of other things he was great with.

But the truth was she liked more keeping their relationship only between them. She liked their 'secret relationship': it was like they were living in a little bubble. Not having to deal with others knowing about them was kind of relieving and she was just enjoying it although she had also noticed that Jackson wasn't so into it like she was.

"I know, it's just... I don't know...well I think you're right... " April exhaled.

"Because, it's your first real relationship as a big girl, and I get it, you are scared, but don't let this fear overwhelm you"

April looked at Lexie. She was right! That was it!It wasn't about Jackson. It was about her.

"Well, my dear, I still think you still need a lot more advices from you old friend" Lexie smiled proudly.

"Yeah, I think you're right, I'm going to miss you!"

"Come on April, I'll be home on maternity leave, I'm not going to disappear!"

Lexie was in fact more or less one month away from her due date and that was her last day of work. April knew that_that_ was inevitable but she was actually a little sad about that, because Lexie was always super supportive of her and April used to lean on her.

"Besides, have you decided what you are going to do for Thanksgiving? You know Mark and I won't leave town for obvious reason, and we could used a little help in the kitchen!" Lexie smiled, winking.

"I'd love to, but my mom keep asking me to join them and I don't know... I mean, I missed them, a lot, but Jackson keep asking too what my plans are and I know for sure he's going to Boston..."

"He told you that?" Lexie cut her off.

"No, I mean, yes...Well, Evelyn told me that she is going to visit her grandma for Thanksgiving!" April replied. She was nervouly tapping on the table and as soon as she lifted her gaze to look at her friend she saw that Lexie was in fact smiling.

"What?" April asked

"April, what's bothering you?"

"I mean it's pretty clear to me that he is going to spend some days with his family, I mean, I totally get it...but why he keep asking me what my plans are. You know, when I told him that I was considering to go to my family he seemed a little upset but when I asked him about his plans he changed the conversation. I mean, Evelyn told me last week about Boston, why is he keeping that from me, I don't understand!"

"Well you tend to see always see the glass as half empty but maybe there's something else...My friend, I've seeing you two together, and I see how he looks at you. The guy has certainly plans, but since you seems to be so blind I won't tell you anything except this... embrace surprises my friend!"

And then Lexie got up from her chair heading out from the cafeteria, leaving a speechless April alone at the table.

_**...**_

April was at home. It was 4 p.m.

She was thinking about the conversation she had had with Lexie that morning. It was Jackson's day off so she hadn't see him yet. He had called her to ask to come by but she had replied she felt a little tired and preferred to stay at home.

She had just had a long, relaxing bath. She kept staring at the bubbles still thinking about Jackson and how she felt upset. But there was no reason to feel that way: he hadn't done anything wrong. There was nothing wrong in wanting to be with his own family for Thanksgiving.

She was still in her bath robe when she heard her doorbell rang.

She smiled, because she knew exactly who could have been. And suddenly all her worries disappeared.

She looked out of the window, just to be sure, and Jackson's car was parked right there.

Immediately her mood changed, mainly because as soon as she had realized he was there, she had felt so excited, so desirous of him. She wanted to hug him so tightly and feel his strong and warm arms tightened around her. Then a little smirk appeared on her lips.

"I'm coming! Just a second!" She shouted, and she took her purse and, totally on purpose, she let her bath robe going sligthly loose on her front, revealing a little of her bare skin underneath.

She opened and without even looking in front of her, pretending to be totally busy looking for the money inside her purse, she started talking "Oh, I didn't except you so quickly, have you got change? It's 9.95 $, right? I must have some small change in the bedroom...Please, come in!" She didn't even bother to look at Jackson's face who was starting rapidly to change expression.

She turned back and headed down the hallway, to the bedroom when she heard him, calling her.

"April?!" His tone was a mix of amusement and disbelief. And maybe a little of healthy jealousy.

She turned around. "Oh, hey!" she exclaimed, faking a surprised expression.

He smiled, still on her threshold.

"Were you expecting someone else?" he asked.

"Oh, yes, actually I ordered pizza..." she replied nonchalantly. But she blushed and that was the sign that she was teasing him.

"Pizza? Seriously? Do you usually open the door to the pizza guy looking like that?" he asked, pointing at her outfit.

"What's wrong with it? I was hungry and there's nothing wrong with my bathrobe!" she replied, folding her arms on her chest.

"Oh, well... I'm totally enjoying the view and I'm sorry to disappoint you... it's just me. Can I come in or it's just something exclusive for the pizza guy?" he asked, smirking.

She smiled without saying anything.

And Jackson stepped inside, closing the door behind him, slowly approaching her.

"Well I didn't bring pizza but I brought you these!" he stated, handing her an envelope in one hand and a box of ice cream in the other.

She looked at him, then looked at the envelope and quickly grabbed it and opened it.

Inside there was a plane ticket. A round-trip ticket. From Seattle to Boston. And there was a name on it. _Her_ name. It was _her_ flight ticket to Boston.

"Oh my God! Jackson!" She put her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply and passionately.

"Oh, I hope this is not how you usually greet the pizza guy, too!" he stated, as she pulled away from kissing him, and slowly started to loose her bath robe belt and slipped his hands underneath.

As she felt his hands on her skin she let out a moan and automatically tilted her head. It was amazing how she couldn't resist him. She simply couldn't. He was able to trigger something inside her, and lately she felt the need of feeling him inside her more than ever.

"Jackson..." she whispered, and her hand slowly moved on the front of his jeans, fumbling with his belt buckle.

"I assume you agree to come with us to Boston!" he told her while moving his hands up to her breasts. But as he felt her hands slipping inside his boxer he let out a groan. She was moving her hand so perfectly on him that he thought he wouldn't last long.

He turned her and now she had her back against the wall.

"We should continue this in your bedroom, babe..." he whispered moving his hand down between her legs and finding her wet center.

"I want you here Jackson, now!" she exclaimed, while his mouth was on her neck.

"Babe, if you keep doing that..." he inhaled deeply, resting his forehead on her shoulder.

"I need to feel you inside of me, Jackson, please..." she begged him. And he couldn't wait anymore, as well. He got rid of his boxer while his jeans sliding down his legs and he entered her, with a single deep thrust. Right there. Against the wall.

Minutes later, they were on April's couch, eating the ice cream directly from the box, both half naked and completely satisfied.

"God, this is so good!" she exclaimed inexpectedly, filling her mouth with a spoon of chocolate ice cream.

He looked at her. She was so cute. One minute she was so hot and bossy and minutes later she was so cute and adorable.

"You taste better!" he exclaimed, kissing her neck.

"That's because I've just had a bath!" She giggled.

"It's not the bath, it's you! You were amazing, April. It was amazing. It's always amazing with you but this time...God!" he stated, looking directly into her hazel eyes.

"And I didn't expect it, honestly." he went on "I mean, you seemed quite off lately and today you were totally avoiding my calls..." he told her.

"I thought you were going to go to Boston without me!" she blurted out "and you know, a part of me was thinking that was totally okay, but then I started feeling so upset...because, I thought you didn't want me to join you and I felt so alone and..." but she couldn't keep talking because his lips were on hers.

It was a soft, sweet kiss. When he pulled away, he looked into her eyes, gently stroking her cheek.

"April, I wanted that to be a surprise but I would have told you sooner if you'd have told me! You should've told me what you were thinking... you know you can tell me anything..." he told her.

"Yes but, this kind of things are not easy to talk about..."

"I know, do you think it's easy for me when you avoid kissing me when we are in the school parking lot?" he suddenly asked, still looking directly into her eyes.

April raised her brows in disbelief. And he went on explaining.

"April, come on. When we are not here or at my apartment I am not even allowed to kiss you!"

"That's not true!" she replied, but as soon as she saw his knowing look, she confessed "Okay, maybe it is, but I don't know...I just find that kind of sexy, you know..." she smirked and started kissing him on the neck, while she went on talking between kisses "Seeing you at school, wondering if you are thinking about me as much as I do and if you are thinking about doing...stuff... as well..."

"It's not fair what you are doing right now, you know that, right?" he told her, while licking his lips. "But I have to say I am not complaining, at all! As long as you promise we will talk about that sooner, okay? " he stated, grabbing her by her waist and gently putting her onto his lap. He briefly glanced at his watch and she noticed it.

"Do you have to go?" she asked, pulling away.

"I have to pick up Evelyn from her dance class in about half an hour, I actually came also to ask if you want to join us for dinner" he replied smirking, while slowly opening her bath robe "but I have a few ideas for the next 15 minutes ..."

_**...**_

"Daddy!" the little girl ran toward Jackson, hugging his legs as soon as she collided into him.

"Evie, hey!" he exclaimed. April watched the cute scene from behind him. All around her a bunch of little girls were running and screaming excited. April couldn't help but notice that Jackson was the only dad among the group of moms.

"Daddy! I want the booble bower...Zoey's mom bought her the booble bower..." Evelyn told him frantically.

He was about to reply when a tall blonde woman approached them. She was holding by the hand a little girl, who April thought must have been Zoey, because she was holding a bubble blower on her other hand.

"Hi Jackson! I'm glad to see that finally you're not alone... can I say it was about time?" the woman asked, pleasantly, looking at April.

" Well Kelly, I waited for the right one, and I think I found her!" he stated, looking at April. "April, this is Kelly, Zoey's mom."

"It's so nice to meet you April!" the woman said, smiling.

"Nice to meet you too" April replied, feeling her cheek blushing, as usual, and Jackson couldn't help but smile at her unbelievable cuteness.

"Okay, Zoey, we have to go now , daddy's waiting for us in the car! Hope you see you soon again, April! Bye Jackson!"

As mother and daughter waved their goodbyes, Evelyn resumed tugging Jackson's jacket. "Daddy, please, I want the bobble bower, too!"

"Okay, we can stop at the mall to get this precious bubble blower, come on, let's go, now!"

He grabbed Evelyn's hand and with the other he grabbed April's waist while they were heading out, as well.

Jackson had been busy trying to explain to Evelyn how to spell properly bubble blower during their whole ride to the mall, while April kept thinking about what had just happened. He had referred at her as "the right one" and she couldn't believe how easy and natural those words had escaped his mouth. He was looking at her, smiling while saying that incredible thing about her. And he seemed so at ease.

"April?! Are you okay?" Jackson tried to catch her attention again. They had just arrived and he was about to park his car.

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry...I was just thinking about... You know what, it doesn't matter now!" she smiled, giving him a peck on his lips.

He smiled back at her while Evelyn was giggling in the backseat, eager to go to the store in order to get her precious toy.

They went straight to the store and as soon as Evelyn got her toy she started blowing bubbles all around them. She was so happy.

April was looking at the girl, smiling, when she felt Jackson's hands on her waist. He snugged his face on her shoulder, from behind, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he whispered.

"Yes, I am...I was just thinking about what you said..." she replied, turning her face to look at him " What you said about me: it was...it was nice..." she confessed.

"It's simply the truth!" he told her, kissing her. But soon a little voice interrupted their cutelittle moment.

"Apvil?!"

"Yes Evelyn!" April almost shrieked, pulled away from Jackson, while he was silently laughing at her shocked reaction.

"Apvil! I need to pee! " The little girl unexpectedly stated.

"Sweetie, I'll take you to the bathroom!" Jackson intervened.

"But I want Apvil to take me!" the little girl whimpered.

"It's okay!" April told him, grabbing Evelyn's hand "I'll take her!" and she gave him a reassuring smile.

April and Evelyn headed toward the bathroom while Jackson, sat down on the bench right there, watching them disappeared in the crowd.

"My daddy keeps saying to hurry up when we are in these bathrooms..." the little girl stated as soon as April was helping her getting redressed.

"That's because your daddy..well, I think that's because he can't be in the ladies bathroom. This is the ladies bathroom and he is a man!" April tried to explain.

"But he's my daddy!" Evelyn replied.

"Yes he is. That's why he is allowed to go with you!" April explained.

They were just outside when April heard a voice calling her name.

"April?"

She turned around and she saw him. But she seemed quite confused so he went on talking.

"Matthew. Matthew Taylor. Seattle University. We met at your school, for the campus open day."

"Oh, yes, of course. Hi, I'm sorry." April replied, giving him an apologetic smile.

"I...I actually thought a lot about you, I kinda hoped to see you there but you didn't show up..." he told her, smiling.

"I... you know, I was busy... with school and stuff...!" she answered, a little bit embarassed.

And then April noticed that Matthew was looking at Evelyn, who was holding her hand.

"Oh, I see...I didn't know you were... I mean that you had a child..." he told her pointing at the little girl who was staring at him. But before April could reply anything Evelyn cut her off.

"You are so tall..." Evelyn stated and Matthew bursted out in a loud laugh.

"Yes I am, but I'm just a little bit taller than you. Sorry for the rudeness little miss, I'm Matthew and you are?"

"I'm Evelyn!" she giggled.

"You have a very cute kid!" Matthew stated, looking at April.

And then April replied.

"Oh no, she's not mine...I mean, I'm not her mother... she's...well, she's..."

And she looked down to her. And Evelyn's eyes were filled with tears and only in that moment April realized the damage she had caused with her words. But she couldn't say anything because Evelyn had just let go of April's hand and was running away from her, disappearing into the crowd of the mall.

**It was difficult to write this one. For so many reasons...**

**Mainly because I have personal stuff going on right now and I don't have much spare time.**

**It was also so difficult writing this because of all the Japril's drama that's going on on Grey's, but I had already decided, long before Japril's drama kicked in on Grey's, that I was going down this rough patch in my story so I felt the need to be honest and this is only the tip of the iceberg, I'm afraid.**

**As a fanfictions reader, reading about Japril fluffiness is really helping me in these days and I can totally understand that reading drama during this terrible hiatus is hard, but I hope you guys will enjoyed it anyway. Don't worry: Jackson and April are 'mint to be' ;-)**

**Please let me know what you think! I really appreciate any kind of reviews!**


	12. Altered States

_Altered States_

* * *

><p>"Evie, sweetie...it's okay, daddy's here now...don't cry okay…everything is fine"<p>

Jackson was holding his daughter in his arms but the little girl couldn't stop crying.

April was looking at them, crying as well. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turning back she realized that Matthew was still there. She had already told him that the girl was fine but he had followed her anyway.

As Evelyn had let go of her hand and ran away in that crowded mall, April had noticed that Matthew, without the slightest hesitation, had ran after the girl, as well while April was crying out for Evelyn , begging her to stop. In a blink of an eye the worse things had popped up on her mind: what if she couldn't find Evelyn. What if the little girl would hurt herself running down the stairs. What if someone would take advantage of her and… God! She would have rather die than let something happen to that little girl.

Now April was trying to calm herself down but couldn't stop thinking about the moment she had picked out her cell phone to call Jackson telling him what had just happened.

In that precise moment, she had felt like she was having a heart attack.

_FLASHBACK_

"_Hey, where are you girls? Are you ready to go?" Jackson answered his cellphone quite confused actually._

"_Jackson…is is…Evelyn with you?" April asked him, with a trembling voice and the fact she was panting didn't help her at all._

"_What? No, she's not here with me! April? What's going on?" Jackson asked and April could perfectly hear the panic in his voice._

"_She…she ran away from me…she let go of my hand and ran away, we are looking everywhere but…" April was trying so hard to focus and remain calm but as she heard his voice she felt her eyes started to fill with tears._

"_What? What happened? Where did she go?" Jackson screamed in his phone while he felt his hands starting to shake._

"_We were just come out from the bathroom, she ran away from me and…"_

"_Daddy!" _

_April heard a familiar voice through the phone._

_And then she heard him talk again. But he was not talking to her anymore. His voice was soft and she had heard a sigh of relief._

"_Evelyn, baby! Come here! What…" _

_But April couldn't hear anything more because he must have put away his phone._

_END OF FLASHBACK_

April was trying to pull herself together but she had to cry those tears that were now more like tears of joy.

She turned back to Matthew.

"Thank you so much for helping me…" she told him.

"It's okay, I'm glad everything is okay now." He told her, putting both her hands on her shoulder.

April felt quite embarrassed. She was thankful to Matthew, he had actually tried to help, but now she felt that his presence there was not the best thing for them.

"I should be with them now…" April told him again, slowly moving away from him, smiling genuinely.

Matthew smiled her back, then nodded understandingly and walked away.

April got closer to Jackson who was still holding his daughter in his arms.

The bunch of people who had witnessed at the scene and probably heard April screaming Evelyn's name had dissipated now and April knew she had to explain herself.

She reached for Evelyn's back gently stroking it.

"Evelyn, are you okay? I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to…"

"Could you please tell me what happened?" Jackson cut her off. His voice was quite harsh and April noticed he wasn't even looking at her.

April felt she was about to cry again but she had to pull herself together. She felt so miserable.

"We were about to come back to you when we met Matthew and…"

"Oh, you met _Matthew_…" Jackson replied, irritated.

April was about to speak again when suddenly he went on.

"Don't bother, I think it's time to go home…"

**...**

April was sitting on her couch. She couldn't stop crying.

It was 8.30. As she had imagined, Jackson had brought her home and instead of having dinner with them, she was now at home, alone. And she hadn't even eaten at all.

She had cried her heart out. She felt so miserable. She had been caught off guard, completely. And that damn words that had escaped her mouth were so wrong, on so many levels. But she didn't mean that. She was not Evelyn's mother but when the little girl had ran away from her, what she had felt was a feeling she hadn't never felt before. She loved that little girl so much and now she felt ashamed for the pain she had caused her and the things she had said.

She had manage to apologize to her when they were in the car, on her way home.

April had also asked her about Jesse the bear and Evelyn had finally smiled to her. She was such a sweet girl. Luckily it was a matter of time for her and hopefully she would have forgiven her, April was pretty sure about that. But what about Jackson…

She was still thinking about him when her cell phone rang and looking at the ID caller, she smiled timidly.

"Hey…" April asked

"Hi Apvil…"

"Oh, sweetie, hi! I'm so glad it's you. How are you?"

"Apvil, I'm sorry..."

"Evelyn, you have nothing to be sorry, really. I have to apologize to you, though. I care a lot about you, you know that, right?"

"Yes. And I promised daddy I won't ran away from you, everrr! Pinkie swear!"

"You are such a good girl!" April stated. That little girl was such an angel.

"I have to go now, I'm going to Zoey, bye bye Apvil!" she giggled.

"Bye Evelyn"

"Hey"

As April heard Jackson's voice she could feel her stomach clenched.

"Jackson…"she was capable only to call his name, because her mouth went suddenly dry.  
>"April, would you mind if I coming by after dropping Evelyn?"<p>

In any other situation, she would have been more than excited about that. But this time something was different in his voice.

And she didn't know what to think. But she couldn't avoid that. They needed to talk.

"I don't mind at all." She simply said.

It didn't take long for her to hear a knock at her door, and as she heard it, she immediately ran and opened it.

It was Jackson. He was smiling.

It was not one of his sexy gorgeous smile but at least he was smiling.

She smiled back at him and seeing him like that made her burst into tears. She hugged him so tightly and he hugged her back, resting his head on her crook of her neck.

"I'm so sorry Jackson, I'm so sorry…" she sobbed on his chest.

"April, let's go inside, okay?"

They were in fact still on her door. He was still smiling, surely he was not in a great mood as well, but he was trying to ease the situation.

She pulled away, wiping off her tears and slightly smiling. She stepped back inside, let him come inside as well and then closed the door behind her.

"How is she?" April asked as they were sitting on her couch.

"She's fine, she's sleeping at Zoey's tonight. She had planned this night for so long and I didn't want to ruin her day even more you know…" he told her.

April smiled, looking down. He was right. Evelyn's day had been already ruined and it was all her fault.

"April, I'm sorry for the way I reacted. I was kind of rude and you didn't deserved it."

She immediately reached for his hands and held them in hers.

"I'm sorry Jackson, I was caught off guard, I didn't mean to..."

"April, I don't blame you for what happened. It's my fault. I'm Evelyn's father and I'm responsible for her. It's not your fault…Evelyn told me what happened, but I wanted to hear it from you..." he asked her.

She looked at him and he gave her a reassuring look.

"We...we met Matthew, you know that guy from Seattle University who..."

"How long did you know him? " he replied, grumpy.

"I met him at school, you were there as well, remember?"

But Jackson didn't reply, he seemed to be lost in his thoughts and April felt the need to go on talking.

"Well he asked me about her and I didn't know what to say..."

"You didn't know what to say?! What does that even mean?!" Jackson suddenly snapped at her, raising his eyebrows, dumbstruck.

"I was caught off guard and I told him I'm not her mother and, honestly it's the truth but I didn't mean in that way...I do care a lot about Evelyn, you know I do, and I'm so sorry because I wasn't able to look after her, she ran away from me and I called her but I didn't..."

Her phone rang. They both looked down at the phone that was ringing and vibrating on her coffee table.

She could see that the caller ID was a number she didn't know.

"April, your phone is ringing..." he told her.

"Yeah I know, but I don't care..." she replied. Right now, she couldn't be less interested in knowing who was calling her.

But then the most unexpected and bad timing thing happened.

April's phone buzzed. It was a text.

Both of them looked at the phone screen.

And a text appeared. And unfortunately they both could read it.

_"I just wanted to know if everything is okay. Please call me back. Matthew."_

He removed his hands from her hold, getting up from the couch and started stroking the back of his head, nervously.

He was looking at her, his stare was persistent and a little shaken.

She didn't know what to think. She got up as well.

"Jackson…I…"

"April, what's going on here?" Jackson snapped at her.

April was speechless.

"It was because of him, wasn't it? Is there something going on between you two?" His voice was harsh and his eyes were teary.

April's mouth dropped. She couldn't believe her ears.

"Jackson! What are you talking about..." She was completely shocked.

"April, he was calling you! He even knows your phone number! I can't believe it!"

"Jackson, I don't know. I swear. Please. You have to trust me."

But he had already grabbed his jacket and walked out of the door, leaving April there, speechless.

* * *

><p><strong><em>I try to never lie<em>**  
><strong><em>I really do<em>**  
><strong><em>I wonder if my friends will get me through <em>**  
><strong><em>It always seems to rain <em>**  
><strong><em>When you leave<em>**  
><strong><em>I try to stem the flow<em>**  
><strong><em>As we bleed <em>**

**_Bush_**

**I'm sorry...the drama's kicking in! **

**I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Please leave a review and let me know what you think, I really REALLY appreciate ANY kind of reviews.**

**And keep this in mind: This is AU but it's Japril! They're going to be fine! ;-)**

**Thank you so much!**


	13. Letting the cables sleep

_Letting the cables sleep_

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry April. He called Mark asking for your number...but I didn't know that..."<p>

"It's okay, Lexie….It's not your fault!"

April was still quite in shock. It was only few minutes after Jackson had walked away from her apartment that Lexie had called her, asking her about Evelyn and what had happened at the mall.

April had asked her knew that; it had just happened a few hours before.

And that was when Lexie had told her: Matthew Taylor had called Mark, he had his phone number since that day he had come to school for that university open day, and he had asked Mark for April's number, telling him what had just happened and that he wanted to make sure she was okay.

"Oh Apes, do you want to come over here for the night? We could talk about it…I can ask Mark to pick you up in a minute…"

"No, Lexie, it's okay… I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

As she hung up the phone with her friend, she plopped down on her couch.

She wanted to call Jackson, to beg him to give her the chance to explain herself, but she was also so upset with him.

He simply had no trust on her at the point of believing what?! That she could have cheated on him?

She tried to call him, anyway. She was worried about him. And even if she hadn't done anything wrong to deserve to be treated that way, she needed to talk to him.

She kept staring at her cell phone for several minutes.

And then she dialed his number. It was ringing but no reply from him so far. And then her call went straight to voicemail.

"Jackson… hey…it's me… Please, call me back… We need to talk…." Tears were silently and slowly streaming down her face. But she was cut off when he heard a knock at the door.

"Please, call me back…" she said quickly and then hung up, straightened up from the couch and walking towards her front door.

"Kepner! Come on, open up!"

She reached the door and opened it, trying to wipe off any traces of tears from her face, already knowing who was be on the other side.

"Mark! What are you doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing, here…" he exclaimed and walked in. "Come on, are you ready to go?"

April looked at him, quizzically.

"Come on Kepner, my wife has warned me: she won't let me come back home if I'm not dragging you with me, so take whatever you have to take with you and let's go, okay?"

And April knew she didn't have a choice.

...

"Kepner, honestly I feel quite responsible for what happened, I'm sorry." Mark confessed as they were in the car.

April was silently looking down at her phone on her hands when she turned to look at him.

Mark could be such a sweet man. He sure enjoyed making fun of her and always tried to embarrass her but he cared a lot about her.

"Don't be! It's neither yours or Lexie's fault…" she went on talking "And honestly it's not mine as well. I felt already miserable for what happened with Evelyn and I'm dealing with the consequences of that, but I didn't cheat on him, for God's sake!"

She turned to look at Mark and he was smirking.

"Oh my God, Mark, really? Do you think I cheat on him, don't you?!"

"Oh relax, Kepner! It's not about that! The thing I don't get is why you girl are so naïve sometimes! I'm not justifying him for his behavior, from what I've heard from my wife he's been quite a jerk leaving you there without even giving you the chance of explaining…but you know what Kepner, sometimes love makes you do very stupid things… That Taylor guy, let me tell you, he has a crush on you, and giving him your number wasn't sure one of the best idea I've had in my life. But everything is going to be fine, trust me!"

April was completely taken aback from Mark's statement. She wanted to reply but they had just arrived and Mark was about to turn off his car's engine.

"Come on, let's go inside!" he told her and they both got off his car, heading to the front door.

As soon as he opened the door they heard Lexie calling for April from down the corridor.

"April! Oh my God! Come here!" Lexie exclaimed as she appeared on their view and as soon as she reached her, she hugged April so tightly.

"Lexie! It wasn't necessary, but I have to say I'm glad to be here with you, guys!" April smiled

She was so lucky to have them as friends.

...

It was about midnight.

Lexie and April were sitting on the couch both drinking a cup of hot chocolate that Mark had made for them. Lexie and April were obviously talking about what had happened while Mark was sat on the other couch, sipping a beer when suddenly April's phone started to ring.

The two women looked at the phone and then looked at each other. Jackson's name had just appeared on April's cell phone screen.

"April! It's him!" Lexie asked.

April had in fact taken her cell phone in her hands but was still staring at it and she hadn't answered yet.

"I know…but I can't…I'm scared he..." April babbled. April was in fact so nervous. She didn't know what to do.

On one hand she wanted to answer him, and talked to him. But on the other hand she was worried about what he could possibly say to her.

"Oh April, answer it, already!" Lexie shrieked, cutting her off.

"Oh come one, give me that damn phone!"

Suddenly, Mark had got up from his couch and had pulled away the phone from April's hand.

"Mark!" both women called him out with a reprimanded tone.

"Okay, now listen to me, both of you. I am a man. I barely know nothing about women but I'm the one who is now giving you advice about men, because I know more about men than you both combined, so chill out and listen to me, okay?"

That situation was almost comical. He was scolding them like they were crazy teenagers and he was the only adult in the room.

The phone was still ringing in his hand while he was looking at both of them,who were looking back at him, in disbelief.

Then took a look at the phone and pushed the hung up button.

"Oh my God! Mark! Are you freaking nuts?!" Lexie almost yelled at him. She looked quite angry, now. She would have got up from the couch and gone straight to hit him but her huge belly was kind of standing in her way.

"No, I'm actually doing your friend a favor!" he replied nonchalantly. Smiling.

"Mark….I don't get it…." April tried to ask but Mark cut her off, sitting back down on his couch.

"Kepner, just let him stew for a little while!" he told her. Then he looked at April and Lexie's faces and he realized he had to explain.

"I really like Avery, he's a great guy and I can only imagined how it's been hard for him, raising his daughter all by himself and all. But he has to embrace his own feelings, because he has sure a lot of feelings for you. And because of that he has almost screwed everything up… I don't know yet what it could be like to have a daughter but I do know what it is like to be blinded by jealousy…"

April looked at Lexie, who was smiling at her husband. Lexie knew exactly that he was talking from experience and April knew as well. They had a similar problem at the beginning of their relationship and they all could remember it was a hard time. But they had come through and now they were so happy and in love.

"Thank you, Mark!" April told him, smiling.

"Oh, you're welcome Kepner, you will return me the favor when we'll ask you to babysit! Now promise you won't call him, at least until tomorrow and I'll give your phone back!"

April couldn't help but smile.

Mark had really convinced her that Jackson's behavior could be moved by his feelings for her, and she couldn't also forget what he had told her in the car about love, and how love could make someone do stupid things.

She nodded timidly.

"You would at least text him. But only once, okay?" he told her "I don't want to play too hard on the guy, I'm still rooting for him!" Mark laughed and then helped his wife getting up from the couch. "Come on ladies, it's time to go to bed now!"

...

It was 1.30 a.m.

April was in the guest room. She was so glad that things had gone that way. She could only imagined how miserable and upset she would be if Lexie hadn't ask Mark to pick her up. The conversation they had in their living room had almost changed everything. She actually felt better now.

On the screen of her phone,12 missed calls and three text messages.

_"Babe, I'm sorry, please call me back. I need to talk to you. I'm so sorry!"_

_"Please just tell me you're okay. _I know. I was a jerk. And I'm sorry..._"_

_"_I miss you so much April!"__

She was about to reply to the text when she heard a knock at her door.

"Kepner, are you awake?"she heard Mark whispered

"Come in!" April replied

"Kepner…make sure to be in your pj's under the sheet before I come in!"

April laughed.

"Don't worry Mark, come in!"

He stepped inside the room as he was a thief who was sneaking in.

"Oh, okay Kepner, this is awkward but I couldn't ask you earlier because of Lexie… Are we still okay for tomorrow night?"

For the next day, in fact, Mark had planned a party for Lexie's maternity leave.

Like an 'early' winter prom dance. Because he knew his wife really well and he was more than sure she would have loved it.

And all the students and teachers were invited to participate. It would be huge.

He had planned that for weeks now and April had helped him a lot. She had also been in charge to pick Lexie a dress that would fit her body and April had in fact choose a really gorgeous dress for her.

Everyone, teachers and students had been instructed to not talk about it with Lexie and hopefully the 'big prom dance surprise party' would be amazing.

"Yes, everything's ready for tomorrow, Mark! Don't worry about it!"

"Great! Okay! Just making sure you won't bail on me. I know you probably won't be in the mood for that but…"

But April, smiling sheepishly turned her phone towards him so that he could read the text messages Jackson had sent to her.

"Way to go Avery, I knew he wouldn't let me down!" he laughed.

"I haven't replied him, yet…." April confessed, quite amused by Mark's funny reaction.

"Oh, I see…" he smirked "Well answer him now, or better, answer him _directly _and in a more _proper_ way tomorrow night, if you know what I mean, Kepner!" he said emphasizing that words and then, wishing her goodnight, he left her room.

April looked at her phone.

Maybe Mark was right. Maybe jealousy was blinding Jackson. She didn't know for sure but of one thing she was completely and absolutely sure: she had feelings for him, a lot of them.

_"I'm at Lexie's. We'll talk tomorrow. I miss you too, Jackson."_

And as hard as it was, she turned off her phone and put it on the bedside table, resting her head on the pillow, wishing it would be tomorrow already.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Hope you liked this one! I really appreciate if you'd leave a review a let me know what you think about it.<em>**

**_I have to admit, I had to put some funny scene in this chapter, because otherwise it would be way too hard to write. And I know Jackson is kinda M.I.A. in this one but I'm planning to write a lot about him in the next chapter!_**

**_Thanks a lot!_**


	14. Be still my love

_Be still my love_

* * *

><p>"Mark are you sure about that?!"<p>

April asked him for the nth time, while biting the last bit of the bacon that was in her plate. They were in Mark and Lexie's kitchen. All the three of them, eating breakfast.

"Yes, Kepner, and I'm pretty sure I will be able to handle your class. You, by the way, will handle my gorgeous wife for the day and you'll also help her getting ready for tonight!" he said, winking.

"Oh, I can't wait!" Lexie exclaimed thrilled "Mark is taking me out to this fancy restaurant down town!"

April smiled. She knew exactly what Mark had planned for her. And it was not about a fancy restaurant.

"Alright ladies, it's time for me to go now." He stated, getting up from the chair after finishing his cup of coffee. He bended over, planting a kiss on Lexie's cheek and waved goodbye to the two women.

April smiled but soon her gaze seemed quite lost.

"Have you called him back, yet?" Lexie interrupted her thoughts, gently stroking her forearm.

April simply shook her head.

"Call him, April!" Lexie told her while she got up from her chair and started clearing the table.

"I don't know what to tell him..."

"Well, you should let him apologize first!" Lexie continued, putting all the cups and plates in the sink "But please make sure he will be the one saying it first!"

April looked at her friend, she was quite confused. Lexie was simply looking at her and now she sat back on the chair right next to her.

"Oh, please! You know what I mean. You love that guy, April. It's been clear to me from the very first time you talked to me about him, and now, this is just an obvious statement. So, please, tell him, don't waste time, just...make sure he will be the one saying it first, okay?" She casually patted on April's shoulder then got up again and left April there.

April smiled. That was the way her friend loved to handle things with her. She dropped the bomb and then walked away.

_**...**_

The bell rang.

"Okay, you guys have done a great job. You should really be grateful with Ms. Kepner, though, she is doing an amazing job with you guys and one day you will understand what that means. Anyway, you all remember about tonight, right?" Mark was talking to the class, making sure they were all ready for their great night.

"Should we bring booze?" a voice from the bottom of the class asked and then all the students laughed loudly.

"Really funny, guys. Now go away before I have to regret inviting you all in the first place!"

All the students ran out from the class, laughing and yelling and when all the chaos vanished Mark noticed that one of the students was still on the door and she was now looking at him.

"Ehm...Principal Sloan? Is Ms. Kepner okay? I mean do you think she will come to the party tonight?" the girl asked.

Mark smiled at her.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Sarah Williams, sir"

"Well Sarah, your teacher is just fine and she will sure come tonight! Don't worry about it, okay?"

"Oh, thank you Principal Sloan, I...I should go now, thanks again!" the girl walked away from the class, visibily embarassed.

Mark was still busy collecting his stuff from the desk when someone knocked on the half opened door.

"I'm sorry... May I?" Jackson had just peeked from the door and was looking inside the classroom.

"Oh, come in, Avery. And don't worry, all the students have already left!" Mark told him, gesturing with his hand to come in.

Jackson stepped in but remained in silence, so Mark spoke again.

"Kepner is not here, by the way!" Mark stated, with his famous smirk on his face.

"I know.." Jackson replied, smiling timidly "she texted me...but I wanted to ask you if..."

"If she's okay?" Mark cut him off.

"Well yes, I mean..."

"Avery, my man, please sit down and tell me what's going on here!" Mark told him, pointing at the student's desk right in front of him.

Jackson looked quite worried but did as he was told and Mark sat down on the teacher's desk, still looking at him.

"Avery, would you please tell me what's really going on?" Mark asked unexpectedly.

"Well, we argued and I overreacted and I tried to call her but she didn't answer and I totally understand because I was a jerk and since I know she was at your house I wondered..."

"Avery, please, tell me something I don't already know and just go straight to the point!"

"I think I screwed up!" he told him, getting up from his chair. He was so nervous. First of all because Mark Sloan was the one who was instilling apprehension on him. But mainly because of what he was about to say.

"And I care a lot about her!" he simply stated.

"You _care_ a lot about her?!" Mark asked raising his eyebrows.

"I love her!" Jackson suddenly blurted out.

Mark was still looking at him without saying anything and Jackson went on talking.

"And I'm scared because I have a daughter, who loves her so much as well, and even if I know April is the most amazing and caring woman I've ever met...I'm ...I'm scared she could hurt me or my daughter, not voluntarily I mean. I'm scared she could meet someone else and I'm scared of losing her ...I'm scared to feel what I feel because I don't know how to handle that...I've never felt this way before..."

"Have you told her?" Mark asked.

"No, I haven't told her, yet!" Jackson replied shaking his head. He was still pacing up and down in front of him when suddenly Mark stood up and put a hand on Jackson's shoulder, stopping him from his ramble speech.

"Avery. You're a good man. I think I could even use some advice from you because I will soon become a father too and, from what I've heard, you are doing a wonderful job with your own kid, but I feel like you could use some advice too: if you love someone, you tell them. Even if you're scared that it's not the right thing. Even if you're scared that it'll cause problems. Even if you're scared that it will burn your life to the ground, you say it, and you say it loud and you go from there."

...

"Well Mark told me this is fancy restaurant but this is too much! Did he choose it?" Lexie asked completely dumbfounded. She had remained completely speechless for few seconds at the sight of that gorgeus blue satin dress that April had showed her.

"No, actually I did!" April replied proudly. "You will look amazing in it!"

"Yes she will!" Mark stated stepping into the bedroom as well. "And Lexie honey, I hope you don't mind but, given the situation, I invited Kepner as well." he told Lexie, smirking.

"Oh my God, are you kidding? I am so excited! My handsome husband, my best friend and my little baby...all together..." she said, rubbing her belly "It will be the perfect night ever! I'm so happy I think I'm going to cry.." she sobbed and Mark barely had time to hold her because she had thrown her arms around him.

April beamed at that beautiful sight. They were so happy and in love. It was supposed to look like that. That was what two people in love should look like.

She had just stepped outside the room when she heard her phone was ringing.

"Hi Jackson…"

"Hey..."

His voice was soft. He probably didn't even expect her to answer. It had already called her more or less a dozen times but she had texted him that she was busy with Lexie and that she would have called him back.

"I told you I'd call you back as soon as…"  
>"I know… I know…I just needed to hear your voice, that's it!" he replied, cutting her off. He seemed a little embarrassed but he seemed also quite relaxed and it was strange but, from his tone of voice, she would have bet he was probably smiling.<p>

"How's Evelyn?!" April asked.

"She's fine. Tonight she's sleeping at Zoey for the second night in a row so she couldn't be happier!" he laughed.

April smiled. Easing the obvious tension was actually hard to do. Anyway she was about to speak again but he cut her off.

"April I'm so sorry…I was such a jerk yesterday and I wish you'll let me explain to you, maybe tonight after the party…"

Jackson was actually so eager to tell her everything. Everything. But Mark had almost threatened him to avoid making any kind of scene or distracting April in any way at least until the night was over. It was Lexie's surprise after all and Mark had made himself very clear about how that night was supposed to be special for her. And April needed to stay focus on that, too. '_No making scene and no making out_' Mark had told him and that had made him even more embarrassed actually.

"It's okay Jackson. I know we need to talk but just so you know I'm not mad at you…maybe a little upset, but we will talk about it, okay?" she laughed nervously.

"Will you still be my date for tonight?" he asked, with his unbelievable husky voice of his. "I mean, can I pick you up?"

"I will meet you there, Jackson." She replied, smiling widely. "Now, I should really go… See you later, okay?"

"Okay…" he simply replied and they both hung up.

"Well I see my man is really playing the right cards now!" Mark stated, as he had left the bedroom with his wife by his side. They were staring at April's face. She was beaming. Her eyes had enlightened. She couldn't stop smiling.

"Oh, it was about time!" Lexie stated. "What did he say? Are you sure you don't rather be with him tonight?" Lexie asked.

"Honey, don't worry, she will have plenty of time to be with Avery! Trust me! And now be ready to go, both of you! It's going to be a huge night, trust me on that too! " Mark replied, smirking.

**_..._**

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" Lexie was literally dumbstruck.

They had just entered the gym and Lexie had brought her hands at her mouth. She couldn't believe her eyes. As they had stopped their car in the parking lot of the school Lexie had immediately realized they weren't actually going out for dinner to a fancy restaurant but she would have never imagined they had planned something like that.

Most of the students were already there and they all stopped and clapped their hands as Lexie had entered the gym that now was used as an amazing dancefloor. The band was playing. A mirrored disco ball was even hanging in the middle of the room.

"Actually I had planned on doing something special, but actually the idea of anticipating the winter prom, well, that was all Kepner's! " Mark stated.

"Now, I get why you my friend chose this gorgeous dress for me!" Lexie stated proudly "And I get why you chose that one for you, too!"  
>April was actually wearing an amazing green strapless satin dress. Her red curly hair framed her face perfectly. She was wearing a very natural make up, just a touch of lip- gloss on her pink lips.<p>

"I can't wait to see Avery's reaction! I have to admit it, Kepner, you're a very attractive tonight!" Mark smirked.

"Jackson would struggle a lot tonight to keep it in his pants!" Lexie went on talking.

"Oh, stop it, both of you, please! It's already kind of difficult for me!"

April had been in a better mood after talking with Jackson but now that she was about to meet him, she felt more nervous than she would have thought.

"April, relax. Eveything is going to be fine!" Lexie whispered, taking April's hand in both hers. But suddenly she shrieked and squeezed her hand so much that April flinched.

"He's here, he's coming here!Oh my God ! April! Look at him! He's so handsome!" Lexie exclaimed.

April was about to turn to look at him when she felt a hand touching her back. And someone was right behind her.

"Ms. Kepner, hi, I'm so glad you're here, you look beautiful... You too, Mrs. Sloan ..." the girl told them.  
>"Sarah, hi! Thanks, so do you... Sarah? Are you crying?"<p>

April had just noticed that the girl was smiling but tears were running down her face.

"Oh, I don't know what to do..." the girl burst into tears. April looked at Lexie who only nodded, gesturing her to go with the girl.

"Oh Sarah, come with me, you need to pull yourself together and then you have to tell me everything, okay?" And April barely manage to turn back, giving Jackson, who was now only a few feets from them, an apologetic smile, before disappearing with Sarah behind the door, that was leading in the school main hallway.

"Where is she going? Is it everything alright?" Jackson asked, pointing at April, quite puzzled.

"Yeah, sure, it was kind of a girl emergency...It' not a big deal!" Lexie smiled.

"Avery, my man, you are quite the sight in this tuxedo of yours!" Mark stated patting on his shoulder.

"Thank you, but it's your wife that is quite the sight tonight!" Jackson smiled. But he was still looking in the direction where April had gone.

"You're such a gentleman, Jackson. But you don't have to use your charm on me, you know, I'm already rooting for you as well"

Jackson smiled, a little embarassed and both Lexie and Mark laughed loudly until the heard someone was yelling in the corner of the room. It looked like someone was engaged in a fight.

In the meanwhile, in the bathroom, April was trying to soothe Sarah.

"Sarah, please, tell me what's wrong..."  
>The girl was still sniffling, dabbing at her nose with a tissue.<p>

"I did it, I had sex with him…" She blurted out.

April was quite taken aback from Sarah's confession but realizing she was on the verge of tears again she tried to remain calm, giving her the opportunity of explaining herself.

"And now I think I'm pregnant!"

April's mouth dropped.

"Sarah?! Are you sure?!"

"No, I'm not, I mean…we used condoms, but sometimes they breaks, right? And I am almost 5 days late, and…"

"Okay, sweetie, slow down now…" April was now stroking her hair.

"I don't know what to do…what if I am pregnant! I can't have a baby, my father will kill me, I'm only sixteen…"

"Sarah, relax okay! You don't have to worry, until you know for sure… okay?" April told her. That phrase sounded quite strange actually but in that moment April thought it was the best thing to say to her.

"Maybe I should do a pregnancy test… Tomorrow… will you please stay with me while I do it?" and now the tears were starting running down on Sarah's cheek again.

"Of course, Sarah. Now wipe off these tears and go with your friend and try to enjoy this night, okay? I know it seems quite impossible but everything is going to be fine!"

The girl nodded and smiled and the two of them exited the bathroom.

But as soon they stepped into the gym again, April immediately realized something had happened.

The band had stopped playing music. There were a group of students in the corner of the room whereas all the other students seemed to be still and just in front of her there was Mark, along with the other teachers and two students of hers.

April immediately approached them "What's going on? What happened?"

"What did you do?" Sarah yelled and she was clearly talking with Alex, one of the two guys. Who was standing there with Leo, the other one. Their jacket and shirt were almost being ripped off.

"Okay, guys, we need to take a walk now …" Mark stated bringing the two guys with him.

"Mark, wait, what about…" April tried to ask, pointing at the other students, and teachers. They were in silent, watching at that scene. Practically the whole school was looking at them.

"Kepner, I already asked Mr. Wilson and Mrs. Bailey to make sure this damn prom dance will go on, don't worry… you'd better check on your boyfriend, he is in the infirmary with my wife!"

"Oh God! What happened?" April asked as she stormed in the room: Lexie was holding some ice in a plastic bag on Jackson's face.

There was a little blood on his shirt.

Lexie turned to look at her and so did Jackson.

"Oh my God, Are you okay?" April asked again.

"It's okay, I'm fine.." Jackson was trying to speak but he grimaced of pain as Lexie touched his lips again with the ice.

"Your boyfriend here tried to quell the brawl between those two knuckeheads and as result he got punched in his pretty face." Lexie stated.

"Jackson..." her voice was broken.

"Oh, he's gonna survive this...trust me! I need to find Mark, now..." Lexie told her and waited for April to nod before handing her the plastic bag and leaving the room.

As soon as she touched his cheek with her hand he closed his eyes and rested his face on her hand.

"I missed you so much, April..." he sighed

"Jackson, what happened..."

"It was an accident...they were fighting and I was trying to calm them down and I've been hit." Jackson replied. "But I feel so much better now..." and he grabbed the ice rom April's hand and put it down on the table right next to them.

April was staring at him, his lips were already so swollen but luckily the small cut he had on his lower lip had stopped bleeding.

"April,you are so beautiful." He told her, holding her hands.

He inhaled deeply and then spoke again "I am so sorry.."

"Jackson... We don't need to talk about that right now." She cut him off.

"But I want to! Please April, I need you to listen to me... I am sorry, I've been a jerk and you don't deserve to be treated that way, but I was scared, I am scared. It really kinda felt like you were slipping through my hands. I was jealous and I was wrong and I'm sorry because you're the most beautiful, amazing person I've ever met but when I saw you with him and when I saw him calling you I felt scared of losing you, and not just for me also for Evelyn..." he paused, smiling..and his eyes immediately lit up..."She loves you so much and so do I... April, I love you so much...I'm so in love with you, you can't even imagine!"

She didn't know what to say. His eyes were glued to hers and she didn't know if she was about to laugh or cry.

She felt overwhelmed by happiness. Joy. Love. There was a burst of emotion inside her.

But she didn't cry nor laugh. She instead threw her arms around him but when her mouth landed on his, she immediately pulled away. His lips were so swollen and it must have been hurt so much.

"Oh, God, I'm sorry...I shouldn't have done that...it must hurt so bad!" She told him, brushing her fingers on his lips.

But he smiled and took her face on his hand.

"You can never hurt me with your kisses" And his lips touched hers. So softly and gently, like it was for the first time. And then, slowly, his tongue slipped inside her mouth and it was like he had triggered something. He was amazing. Everything about him was amazing.

She was in love with him.

And she knew she couldn't hold it back, anymore.

"I love you too, Jackson. So much."

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for any mistakes and, in case you encounter them, please let me know so I can improve my written English.<strong>

**Hope you guys liked this, and as usual, I'm asking you to leave a review and let me know what you think about it.**

**You're helping me a lot with your reviews...****I really appreciate them and I can't be thankful enough to you for that!**


	15. Red light

**T/M rated! ;-)**

* * *

><p><em><em>Red light<em>_

* * *

><p>"I love you too Jackson, so much!"<p>

He kept staring at her, holding her face with his hands.

"Tell me again…"

She smiled.

"I love you, Jackson!"

And then his mouth landed on hers. And again it was a soft kiss, he was slowly tasting her.

His hands were holding her neck and he was stroking her cheeks with both the pads of his thumbs. His touch was the most gentle but it was like it was setting her whole body on fire.

And she craved his hands on her. And since his hands were still on her face she grabbed them and put them down on her waist.

He smirked, still kissing her.

Her long satin dress was slipping under his hands as he moved them down and then up again on the curve of her back.

Her fingers were now playing with his collar, unbuttoning his shirt completely and as her little fingers began playing with his bare torso he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

It reminded him of the very first time she had touched him like that. That was certainly on the list of the things she used to do with her small hands on him that were driving him crazy. And now those fingers were busy with the buckle of his belt.

"April…" he whispered. He wanted to take his time. He knew that someone could come to check on them any time, but he didn't care.

He knew she liked when they were taking things slowly and he liked that as well, but clearly, in that moment, she seemed to be in a hurry.

"April...babe...wait..." He whispered again, slightly pulling away from her.

"Don't you want to do this?" She asked him, a worried look on his face.

"April we don't have to do it like this, you know..."

She giggled. She couldn't help it. Maybe because he was pouting a little, maybe because he seemed so embarassed. And she loved him even more.

The look on her face changed: now, she was looking at him like he was his favorite dessert. She licked her lips: he was right there, in front of her. So beautifully made.

She smirked and slipped her hand inside his boxer, her eyes still glued to his. He smirked, but when her hand began working on him, he closed his eyes and let out a growl, so guttural and so painful.

She was in charge right now and he was enjoying being there, at her mercy.

She was so incredibly and unbelievably sexy that he had to restraint himself so much.

Her back was against the wall, he was right in front of her, with both his palms leaned on the wall. She was kissing his neck while her hands was still down on his body.

"Do you like this, Professor Avery?" she told him in between kisses.

He chuckled.

"I like this a lot!" he exhaled.

"Maybe we should try this more often..."

"Oh, yeah..." he nodded. And then he brought his hands on her back, and he began pulling down the zipper of her dress.

And as her dress slipped down at her feet, his breath got stuck in his throat. And he felt like he was ready to explode. Literally.

She was smiling at him while biting her lower lip. She was fully aware of what she was doing to him.

She was wearing a black satin strapless bra and matching panties and while his eyes were trailing down her body in a few steps she reached the door and locked it.

She could feel, from the way he was staring at her, that the sight of her almost naked body was nearly too much for him to take in.

He stared at her while she slowly made her way back toward him, in all but her underwear and stilettos.

"You're amazing..." he whispered, grabbing her by her waist while his other hand was holding her hair at the nape of her neck, and he then started nibbling her right there.

Her chest rose and fell heavily. Her hands were trailing up and down his chest. She wanted to be in charge. But he was slowly undoing her.

"Oh Jackson..."

Now she was the one who was pouting and he chuckled.

He knew exactly what she was thinking. She wanted to be in charge and even if he loved letting her having her way on him, this time he simply couldn't.

She was so sexy he was literally exploding and he had to have her. Right there.

He had to be inside of her. He wanted to take his time with her but since he had seen her like that he had completely lost his mind. She was driving him crazy.

He got rid of her bra with a simple movement of his hands and squeezed her breasts, making her shudder.

He didn't waste any more time of getting rid of her panties. He simply shifted them aside from her entrance and as he freed his hard member from his boxers he finally thrusted inside her wet core. Deeply.

He knew she was ready. He knew from the way she had tilted her head and arched her back, from the way her nipples had hardened under his touch, from the way she was moaning and slightly biting her lower lip.

"I'm sorry babe...I couldn't wait anymore..."

She nodded.

Her inner walls tightened around him. He lifted her up and she automatically wrapped her legs around his waist. He was still inside of her when he leaned her against the wall. As her back touched the wall he was able to free his hand and cupped her breast while he resumed thrusting inside her then pulled almost all the way out, before thrusting deep inside her again.

Her eyes were wide open. She looked at his face. His swollen lip had resume bleeding and she brushed her finger on it.

He was thrusting faster and each time he thrusted into her she let out a moan and he knew she was reaching her peek.

He buried his face on her breasts as he came with her, emptying himself inside her.

_**...**_

It took them several minutes to catch their breaths again and redress themselves. They stepped inside the gym and decided to keep it cool. Jackson was still arranging her jacket when Mark approached him. April spotted Lexie sitting in the corner of the room and reached her.

The look on their faces as they stepped inside the gym could go unnoticed to everyone but Lexie.

"I see Professor Avery seems to feel way better now... Did you two talk, right?" Lexie smirked to April.

"Yes, I mean...he was sorry for his behavior and I accepted his apologies..." April stated.

"Well sweetie, from what I see right there on your neck you _got_ more than just his apology" Lexie chuckled, arranging April's hair in order to cover the hickey she had just noticed.

April blushed and looked in the direction were Jackson and Mark were standing, on the other side of the room.

And Jackson was staring at her, with his gorgeous yet stupid grin on his face.

"Oh, come on Avery, wipe that grin off your face!" Mark scolded him handing him a glass of punch.

"I'm sorry, Sloan, I can't...I simply can't..." he confessed and his grin was even brighter.

"Okay, I get it, ypu can't take off your eyes from the woman you're in love with , but please, just don't look at her like you had just seen her naked!" Mark told him, unaware of the fact that _that_ was exactly what had just happened.

And when Jackson almost choke on his punch the look Mark gave him was nearly a horrified look.

"Not a single word Avery. NOT. A. WORD." Mark cut him off. "I have to find a way to erase from my mind the image of you two...ugh...in my own school! Unbelievable!" And he walked away from him, slapping the back of Jackson's head in disapproval.

And Jackson, that wasn't exactly expecting that, accidentally spilled his glass of punch all over his pants.

He chuckled: at this point it was clear that nothing could ruin his good mood.

On the other side of the room ,April who had just witnessed the whole scene, was scolding Mark who had just reached her and Lexie.

"Oh relax Kepner. You should be ashamed of yourself though." Mark scolded her.

"Baby what's wrong?" Lexie held Mark's arms, and he pouted like he was a child whose big soccer team had just lost over the new one.

"They've just had sex! In my school!" he whispered to Lexie.

April blushed fiercefully.

"Mark, it's not like that…"

"Oh, shup up Kepner! He has '_just had mind-blowing sex' _written all over his face! Just go to your horny boyfriend, already!"

Lexie laughed and hugged her husband tightly, winking at April who did as she was told.

"I'm so sorry… Mark is just…Mark!" April said, smiling apologetically, as she reached Jackson grabbing a napkin, trying to dry his pants right below his belt.

Jackson froze. Her hand was just stroking on his crotch and he stopped her immediately.

"Babe, what are you doing?" he asked her, a little embarrassed as he had noticed some of the students that were around him were looking at them, giggling.

"I'm helping you…what's wrong with this?" April asked, resentfully.

"Nothing is wrong, babe" He whispered in her ear "but if you keep doing _that_ with your hand, I think we have to come back into that infirmary…"

She looked at him and then blushed, bringing her hands to her mouth.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!"

She could be so naïve sometimes.

He smiled and put down his glass and put his arms around her.

"I love you, you know that, right?" and he gave her a kiss on her forehead.

And she melt in his embrace. She looked around, some of the students were stll giggling. And she realized that and Professir Avery were now a thing. They were a couple. And even if she had enjoyed their time as 'secret lovers' she was quite sure she would enjoy their new status even more.

"Ms. Kepner… Professor Avery…I didn't know… are you two together?" Sarah had reached them. And she was looking at them with a dreamy look.

"Well, Sarah…." April was about to start with one of her usual ramble speech but Jackson cut her off.

"Yes! Yes, we are! And please Sarah, it's just Mr. Avery, okay?" He smiled politely.

"Oh you two are so cute!" And the girl remained right there, while Jackson couldn't help but chuckle.

"Sarah, is everything okay?" April asked her.

"Yes, I mean, I got them! I asked my cousin to go to that 24-hour store and she bought them...and she brought them here… I'm too anxious to wait until tomorrow…" and that was when April realized what she was talking about.

"Oh, yes…well, in that case we should go…." April told her, grabbing the bag Sarah was holding.

"Jackson, I…well…I'll be right back, okay?"

He just nodded and April put her arm around Sarah and headed out towards the bathroom.

They went into the private bathroom on the second floor, near the conference room. Nobody would have disturbed them.

"Sarah, you bought 5 different types of pregnancy tests?"

"Well, my cousin did. She said it's better because they could give you a false positive…or something like that…"

And Sarah did the first one.

And luckily it was negative.

Not pregnant.

But the girl seemed obsessed over that 'false positive' issue.

"Okay, Sarah, come on…" April told her, unwrapping the second one and handed her the stick. "Here you go!"

Sarah went into the bathroom and a few seconds later she exited it.

"How much do we have to wait?" the girl asked.

"5 minutes honey… even for this one…" April told her "Do you want to take a walk?"

"No, it's okay. Your dress is gorgeous by the way. You look beautiful." Sarah told her.

"Thanks honey. You look very nice as well." April stated.

"I'm sorry that Leo punched Professor Avery, it was an accident…."

"We know that honey. But Leo and Alex shouldn't have behaved like that. If they have some issues they should talk to each other and…"

"I'm the problem!" the girl blurted out.

"Sarah, what are you talking about?"

"It's because I slept with Leo that Alex punched him…Alex is my best friend and he's always been protective over me and when I told him about Leo, he lost his mind… but I can't understand, I mean, Leo has been always so gentle and he cares a lot about me…well, maybe he's not in love with me…but maybe one day his feelings…"

"And what about Alex?" April cut her off. "Do you think Alex has feelings for you?"

"He's my best friend!" Sarah stated. "Oh my God, do you think he's jealous of Leo?"

"Well, I don't know him, but it might be… I mean he punched a guy for you… without any obvious reason, is that right?"

Sarah was looking down at her feet.

"Okay, let's have a look" April stated, taking the stick. "Sarah, relax. Negative. You are not pregnant, okay?"

"Ms. Kepner are you sure…what if…"

"Oh, dear God, Sarah! You're only a few days late, it happens... I mean… Actually I'm a clock too, I'm never late …well let me think…my last period was…. "

And then April froze. And her sudden paleness didn't go unnoticed to Sarah.

"Ms. Kepner, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm…just… a little dizzy…what I was saying?" But April knew exactly what she was saying.

How could she not remember when was her last period. The last one she could remembered was still in September and it was a few days before she had slept with Jackson for the first time. But that couldn't be her last period because more than two months had passed since then.

April leaned on the wall and put a hand on her belly.

OH. MY. GOD.

"Ms. Kepner, maybe I should call Mr. Avery…"

"No, for God's sake, Sarah! Please no… But I need to ask you a favor…"

* * *

><p><strong><em>First of all I wante to say THANK YOU to any of you who left reviews to my story, you know how much I appreciate them. <em>**

**_And if you could let me know what you think about this one too, well... you know I'd be moooore than happy about it!_**


	16. The one I love

_The one I love_

* * *

><p>"April, honey...you should put those sticks down now, it's okay, everything is going to be fine..."<p>

Lexie was talking to April, who was holding two pregnancy tests in her hands, tightly, as they were weapons.

Lexie had just arrived and the scene that was in front of her eyes was quite awkward. She knew already what was going on. As Sarah had put "Ms. Kepner" and "pregnancy test" in the same statement, Lexie had immediately realized that something had happened.

April seemed in shock.

After April had asked Sarah to call for Lexie, she had immediately taken a test and she didn't even have to wait 5 minutes: in a few seconds the second line had appeared. And it was all but a faint line.

Pregnant.

"April, look at me..." Lexie told her again but nothing. April seemed to be in another dimension.

"April Kepner!" Lexie yelled and finally April snapped out of her trance.

"You need to pull yourself together… I think Jackson will come any minute now…"

"Is he? Oh God... I asked Sarah to call _you, _not him!_"_

"She called _me, _she did exactly what you told her. But obviously the fact that the girl actually came back without _you_ had got him, he wanted to come as well but I told him there was a problem with the zip of your dress and that we would come back in a second so…"

"Lexie…" April was feeling like she was about to cry.

She was overwhelmed by her emotions.

She had taken two tests and they were both positive. Without doubt.

And she had freaked out.

Lexie gave a quick glance at the tests and then threw them away in the trash can.

"You need to tell him, April… And tell him right away, okay?"

April just nodded.

"April, honey, listen to me, everything is gonna be fine!" Lexie told her, stroking gently her hair.

"Hey!"

They almost startled when Jackson appeared in front of them, smiling.

And right then, April snapped out from her trance.

Just like that.

It only took her a second and seeing him, like that, smiling at her, and all her fears and doubts had just gone. Just like that.

"Is everything okay with your zipper?" he asked, looking at April.

"Yes, yes of course! It was just..." April was replying

"Another girl emergency, I suppose!" he cut in, chuckling and put his arm around her.

"Okay I come back to Mark...I'll leave you two guys alone now" Lexie stated, nodding at April and gently squeezing her hand.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jackson asked again, as they were alone, in the hallway.

His hands were on April's waist and he was looking at her very intensely. He knew her quite well and he was more than sure that something was different with her.

She nodded and smiled at him.

He was always so sweet. And he loved her.

And she definitely loved him back. And they were going to be happy. They were going to have a baby.

"Are you sure we are fine? I mean, are you still a little mad at me?" he asked again, making the cutest puppy face. And April giggled at his silly face.

"We are fine, Jackson!" she stated, giving him a kiss on his cheek and he grinned.

They were going hand in hand down the hallway. She was going to tell him, as soon as they arrived home.

"What about Sarah? That girl... I mean, why did you come here with her? I heard what she told you about that bag ...I mean what was in that bag?...Pregnancy tests?" he chuckled. Nervously.

"Yes!" April blurted out.

Jackson froze.

"Is she pregnant? I mean you came here with her because she wanted to take a test, right?" he asked again.

She had the impression that Jackson wanted to ask her something else. And she knew she had to tell him. That was not maybe the right time or the right way but she needed to tell him. She needed to talk to him, and they had to face that together.

"She's not pregnant, Jackson...at least she's not the one who's pregnant!" April blurted out.

He turned to look at her with a frowny look.

He looked surprised, but then he cracked a big, beautiful smile. Then he got right in front of her.

"April...are you... are we..." He just couldn't finish. He had started blinking fast.

"Jackson, I think I'm pregnant!" April told him again.

April was just looking down, barely containing her smile and blushing.

He was still grinning ear to ear but didn't say anything.

He grabbed her by her waist and pulled her toward him.

"You think?" he asked her smirking and his eyes drifted to her flat belly.

"I took a test. Twice, actually..." She giggled nervously. "Jackson…" she asked him when she felt his hand stroking on her belly. "…please say something."

But instead of answering her he started kissing her, with a trail of small pecks all over her face.

He was happy. They were happy. They were in love.

They were having a baby.

* * *

><p>Catherine was hugging her, so tightly that April felt difficult even to breath. They had just spent Thanksgiving together in Boston, as planned, all the three of them along with Catherine and Richard.<p>

And now they were at the airport, heading back home.

The last time Catherine had hugged her so tightly was right after they told her they were expecting a baby.

Well, actually Evelyn had told her. She had showed her grandma one of her drawings in which there were Evelyn herself, sketched with a tiara on her head, Jackson, and then April, with her long red curly hair and a hole in her tummy in which Evelyn had drawn a little "something".

"What is this?" Catherine had asked, pointed at the little bean on the drawing. "It looks like Itsy Bitsy Spider!" Catherine went on talking but she knew better and her eyes had just lit up.

"Oh Grandma" the little girl giggled "There's a baby in April's tummy!"

And Catherine had turned to look at her son who was actually beaming and had only nodded and looked as his mother who had started to cry and that was the first time she had hugged April so tightly. And that one time April had cried too.

And now they were at the airport and Jackson was just behind his mother and was watching at the cute scene again, with Evelyn by his hand.

"Have a safe trip back home and watch your girls, Jackson! All of them...because who knows? Maybe the one on the way is a girl, too! " Richard told him as he and Jackson were shaking hands. Richard knew exactly that Catherine was rooting for another girl.

"Grandpa! I've already told you! Beanie is a boooy!" Evelyn stated and they all laughed.

Jackson and April had decided to tell Evelyn about her sibling by showing her a picture of April's first ultrasound. And obviously as April was about 8 weeks pregnant back then, all that Evelyn could see was a little bean. And she was sure that he would have been a boy. Beanie, her little brother.

"Alright, family, it's time to go now!" Jackson stated as they were waving goodbye to Catherine and Richard while heading to the departure gates.

Evelyn was holding April's hand and April was holding Jackson's and she was now looking at him with loving eyes.

"What?" he asked, turning to look at her.

"Nothing..." she shook her head. She was beaming.

Family.

It sounded so good.

* * *

><p>It was around midnight and Evelyn was fast asleep in Jackson's arms as they arrived home.<p>

Home. Now Jackson's home was April's home, too. He had already told her how much he loved having her at home with them.

Since the night they came back from Lexie's surprise party, after they found out they were pregnant, April had spent every night at his apartment.

She practically lived there, now.

She usually came back to her own apartment, though. Usually after school, mainly to get some clothes and to check the mailbox and stuff and later, Jackson, after picking up Evelyn from school, always came to pick her up as well.

And now they were there, at home, after having spent a wonderful Thanksgiving in Boston.

"She was so exhausted. I've even changed her in her pj's and she hasn't even woken up."

Jackson stated as soon as he reached April on the couch.

He put his arm around her and she snuggled up to him.

They stayed in silence, enjoying such a small thing like being there together, in each other's arms.

Jackson was the first one who broke the silence.

"I knew that, you know...that night, as I saw you, that you might have been pregnant!" He told her, unexpectedly.

She just looked at him, raising her eyebrows.

"When Lexie came looking for you, that night, well I saw her whispering in Mark's ear and then he came right next to me and he kept looking at me in an awkward way, and just gave me a pat on the back and nodded... It was weird!" he stated, chuckling.

April had put a hand on her mouth. She simply couldn't believe it and then imagining Mark's face, she couldn't help but giggle.

"Oh and I heard everything April, when that girl came with that paper-bag; I figured it out immediately, what she was referring to...and actually I thought the test was for you in the first place!"

"Jackson!" April couldn't believe it!

"Oh babe, we were having a lot of sex and... well condoms sometimes break, right? And obviously you weren't on the pill and your period... well...it had been missing for months..."

"You thought I might have been pregnant and didn't tell me?" April asked him again.

"I don't know...maybe I was afraid you might not be okay with that, I mean...having a baby with me..." he confessed, scratching the back of his head.

"You are such a fool, Jackson Avery, but I love you, anyway" she giggled and she snuggled her face into his neck.

"I love you, too" He told her, kissing her forehead.

"I feel like taking a hot relaxing bath...with you..." she sighed as soon as she placed her head back on his chest.

"Oh, that sounds nice!" he replied with his sexy voice. "But you know we can't!"

April had in fact experienced some spotting lately, but the doctor had just reassured them.

Their baby was fine and the pregnancy would have been fine too as long as April avoided hot baths , strenous activities and above all she and Jackson had to avoid having sex. At least until April was through her first trimester.

And contrary to what anyone would have thought that seemed to affect her more than Jackson.

"Jackson..." she called him, almost whispering, looking up to meet his gaze and stretching a bi, just to be in a more comfortable position.

When she was near him she couldn't think about anything than being with him, completely.

Her whole body was aching for him and it had only been two weeks they were in this cruel sexual abstinence, but it felt like ages.

"April...be good babe...you know we can't..." Jackson scolded her, but truth to be told he was just as horny as she was. Maybe even more.

"Oh please, we can just kiss..." she pouted and he chuckled.

"Oh babe, we've never just kissed..." then he paused and decided to tease her "What do you have in mind?"

"Do what you want! Just touch me and kiss me..." she told him.

Jackson had to close his eyes for a second because just hearing her talking to him like that was turning him on.

He slowly moved beneath her and she let him guided her to sit just between his legs, with her back against his chest.

The back of her head was resting on his shoulder and she felt the warmth of his body against hers.

"I should start right here..." he whispered in her ear and began kissing and nibbling the skin just below her ear. His hands were on her shoulders gently stroking them.

"Do you like this?" he asked her, smirking.

But from the way April was brushing her back against his body he knew already that.

And April just couldn't get enough.

He moved her hands on her belly and began unbuttoning her shirt from the bottom to the top.

"Do you think _she_ is sleeping?" He asked her, as he gently grazed the skin on her belly.

And April giggled. He wasn't talking about Evelyn.

"_He_, Jackson…" April replied. "And yes, Baby Beanie is asleep, don't worry about him…"

"Okay, in that case I can go on…" he chuckled.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you liked it guys.<strong>

**Anyway I wanted to end on a good note! Actually, I don't feel like writing drama lately... but I will! ;-)**

**I want to wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS, hope you'll spend these days with your loved ones, just as I am!**


	17. The mirror of the signs

_The mirror of the signs_

* * *

><p>"Is everything okay?" April asked, quite anxiously.<p>

The doctor had just finished to move the ultrasound probe on April's sticky belly.

Dr. Montgomery nodded, smiling. "Everything is fine, April. Your baby is just fine!" She told her, handing her some paper towel. "We have to wait a few more weeks to find out the sex!"

April wiped the US gel from her growing bump. "Are you sure the baby is fine? I mean, it's everything alright down there?" She asked again. She was acting all nervous and fidgety. After the spotting scare she always felt a little nervous.

"I told you, April. Everything is fine! By the way, are you still taking your prenatal vitamins?" the doctor asked again.

"Oh yes! Of course! Every morning! And I'm still following the rules: no heavy lifting, no hot baths and no sexual activity!" April stated, redressing herself and approaching the doctor's desk.

Dr. Montgomery was still writing down all the measures from the ultrasound when April spoke again.

"The baby is fine and so am I..." April repeated to herself.

Dr. Montgomery lowered her head a little and stared at April over the rims of her glasses.

"The baby is fine and so are you!" the doctor leaned back on her chair. "Too bad Jackson couldn't make it, we could have talked about your birthing plans..." Dr. Montgomery told her, taking her glasses off and staring at April, her arms crossed on her chest. "Why he is not here with you this time? Is there a specific reason why you asked me to move up your appointment?"

It was quite strange actually.

Dr. Montgomery had already seen Jackson on their three previous appointments and she could already tell what kind of man he was. Jackson wouldn't have missed any of April's check ups for the world! He was the kind of man who wanted to be 100% involved in every step of the pregnancy.

"Oh, he was just busy, with school and stuff." April replied, nonchalantly. It was obvious she was lying through her teeth. And from the look Dr. Montgomery gave her, that wasn't actually making her look very clever. She had to tell the truth. It was not like she had cheated on him or something, for God's sake!

"But the truth is ... I haven't told him, because I wanted to be alone...in order to ask you a few things...alone! " April laughed nervously.

Dr. Montgomery smiled.

Addison Montgomery was the chief of the OB-GYN department at the Mercy West Hospital as well as a specialist in sexuology and sexual behavior. And needless to say, she knew exactly where April was going with this.

"Well?"

"Well, the thing is I'm so happy right now and with Jackson, well, it's like I just can't stay away from him and every time I'm with him I need to be with him...and I was hoping if you could tell me why I'm...I'm..." She sighed. She had to stop beating around the bush and get straight to the point. " I'm horny all the time. I can't stop thinking about sex!" She finally blurted out.

"This is because of the pregnancy hormones, April..." Dr. Montgomery smiled understandingly.

"Is there something I can do about it?" April asked again. "I mean, aside from doing what you allowed us to do, well we are doing it. A LOT. Jackson is...let's just say he is very fond of it_..._ And I'm not complaining..." April laughed nervously "I'm not complaining at all...But I miss having _sex_. Real sex!_"_

"April, relax" Montgomery reassured her "See...the spotting is a not so rare occurrence during the early stage of pregnancy. And I know I advised you to avoid sex during these last weeks. However as you and Jackson already know, the human body can experience physical pleasure in many different forms, but now it's different, you're in you 2nd trimester and at this new stage of your pregnancy..."

Dr. Montgomery was still talking but April just let her mind go...

Yes! April remembered clearly that one time when Dr. Montgomery had told both of them about that.

Not that Jackson needed to be reminded about how he could satisfy her with his hands or his mouth. But he was still a little afraid it could cause other problems. They had to stop having sex because of that spotting, but thankfully the doctor also told them it was a transitional phase.

In the meanwhile they could do other things and just as Dr. Montgomery had somehow _cleared_ him for that, he had kept his silly grin stuck on his face during the whole visit.

April missed having sex, so much, but at the same time April couldn't complain at all because when he worked his way down on her...

God! It always felt so good! Every time he did that thing with his tongue while his hands where cupping her breasts and the feeling of his hot breath on her...

"April?! Do you understand what that means?" Dr. Montgomery asked her.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." April had been brought back to reality from her thoughts. "I...what did you just say?!"

And the doctor smiled again.

"You're 14 weeks. You can go back to work and also, from now on, you and Jackson can be as physical as you want!"

**...**

"I'm proudly announcing you that I'm coming back to work right after the Christmas holidays!" April stated proudly, sitting on the chair right next to Lexie's bed.

"Oh, thank Goodness! That means I won't go crazy trying to schedule lessons or merge classes, anymore... That's relly good news, is that right, cutie pie?" Mark replied, cooing his newborn on his arms. He was standing near the window of Lexie's hospital room, in the maternity ward.

It was a cold yet sunny day of December and two days before, on the 18th, Mark and Lexie had finally welcomed Sophia Carolyn Sloan into the world.

She was a beautiful baby girl.

She was born via C-section, nearly two weeks past Lexie's due date. Apparently, Sophia preferred to stay in her mommy's belly.

April smiled, tickling Sophia's cute little feet.

"Have you been cleared for anything else?" Lexie asked, mischievously. "I mean, what about your sexual abstinence!"

Obviously Lexie knew about April and Jackson forced abstinence.

"Lexie, please!" April flashed her a reprimanded look.

She didn't want to talk about that in front of Mark.

"Oh, relax…he totally understand, right honey?"

"I still don't want to hear anything regarding _that" _Mark replied, "So I think we might leave you two talking about whatever you want, while my little princess and I will take a walk on the hallway, right sweetie?" He replied, talking to the baby in his arm.

"He's so whipped!" April stated, looking at Mark and the baby disappearing behind the door "And Sophia is so beautiful, Lexie!"

"I know, we already loved her but it was like we just fell in love with her, all over again, from the very first moment we saw her!" Lexie confessed "It's just love in its purest form, you'll see!"

April looked down at her little bump.

"So, what about the Kepners? What do they say about the baby on the way?" Lexie asked but as soon as she look at April's face she already knew the answer to her question.

"You haven't told them, yet? Not even your mother?" Lexie asked quite shocked.

"I can't tell them on the phone! Come on! Lexie! What am I supposed to say? _Mom! Dad! Hey, you know what? I'm totes preggo I'll give you all the deets..._" April replied, exasperated. "Did you remember that one time my dad showed up at our dorm door just because my mother told him I was seeing a guy and they hadn't heard from me in 3 days and..."

"April, come on, we're not in college anymore!" Lexie chuckled. "Honestly I don't think they can react that bad: you're giving them a grandson, for God's sake! Just tell them, okay? But now... let's get back to what you were saying about being _cleared for duty_! You're gonna jump his bones on the first chance you get, aren't you!"

**...**

As April arrived at school there were still two hours before the school bell would rang the end of the lessons and she couldn't wait that much. She was eager to tell him.

She reached Jackson's classroom and peeked through the glass of the door.

He was sitting on the edge of the desk, the textbook opened in his hands, his dark thick-framed glasses on.

He was talking to the students. April couldn't hear what he was saying, but the way he was gesturing and his facial expression were so catchy and fascinating.

On the chalkboard behind him he had written dates and main facts all circled and, just on the lower right corner there was written his name with little hearts around it.

April smiled. Probably he hadn't even noticed that. Most of the girls of the school clearly had the hots for him. That was no surprise to her; that was nothing new. And honestly, April couldn't blame them at all.

He was so unbelievably handsome. How can those teen girls resist him?

A rush of excitement and possession hit her: she could feel her whole body longing for him.

Her first thought had been to drop by just to tell him the good news. But now, now she wanted more, she _needed_ more and she couldn't wait any longer.

She knocked firmly on the door.

He turned his face and saw her smiling at him and his whole face lit up when his eyes met hers.

He took his glasses down on the desk and reached to the door.

"Hey!" He greeted her. "Come in!"

"Hi guys!" She beamed.

"Hi Ms. Kepner!" the students greeted her in chorus. And someone from the bottom of the class even whistle to her.

"Is everything okay?" He asked her, still smiling. She only nodded, noticing how his gaze bounced between her eyes and her very low cut wool sweater.

Some of the students were chuckling and whispering.

Now everyone at school already knew about Jackson and April being together and it was only a matter of time they were going to find out they were also expecting. As a matter of fact rumors had already spread, after April had taken those last weeks off from school. But neither Jackson nor April couldn't be bothered about that.

Especially April. At first she was the one who wanted to hide it, but now, she was actually glad they talked about them being together.

She was so proud of him. Her boyfriend was a brilliant, gorgeous High School Professor and she didn't want to hide it anymore. At least not at school.

"There is something I need to tell you…" She replied and since she still had her smile plastered on her face he immediately realized it would be something good.

"Okay…I'm almost done here…" He replied, showing her to sit down at his desk. "Just, sit here with us…and then we…"

Obviously he wasn't grasping the true meaning of her unexpected visit. How could he?

"Jackson! Right now!" She whispered.

He looked at her quite confused. She was nodding at him, like she was trying to make him understand what she truly meant.

And thankfully, like someone turned the light on in his head, he got that.

"Oh!"

"Yes!" She nodded again.

"Right now." He repeated and then he spoke to the class "Guys I need you to finish reading this chapter, I'll be right back!" He told them, without even taking his eyes off her and they walked down the hallway.

"Have fun, lovebirds!" Someone yelled.

They had just entered the meeting room and as soon as she locked the door behind them April attacked his neck, moving her hands dangerously low on his back.

"This is kind of irresponsible and…Mmmm…babe…don't do that..." He groaned.

"Are you complaining?" she smiled, pressing her body against him.

"Of course not." He chuckled, slipping his hands on her waist and up under her sweater. "But please don't do that..." He told her as he felt again her hands touching his groin through his jeans, stroking him really hard.

"Do you mean we can't do that here?" She replied, pulling away from him.

She suddenly took off her sweater and she stood right in front of him, in her jeans and her bra.

He licked his lips as that unexpected view, in that moment, was barely too much to take in stride.

He stood still right there, his eyes still glued to her chest and her beautiful naked belly.

"April...you are so ..." And he slipped his hand on her, roaming her belly, still trying to find out just the right word to describe her.

"I know..." She giggled "But we don't have time for this!" And she hooked her thumbs in the waist of his jeans and pulled him towards her.

"April..." He gave her an astonished yet amused look, which she returned with a mischievous little smile.

"We can do it, Jackson!" She giggled looking at his confused face. "This morning I went to visit Lexie and baby Soph and I might have visit also Dr. Montgomery..."

"And?" He asked again slowly his face bursts into a smile.

"And I think you need to show me again how you got me pregnant!" She told him, biting her lip.

He dropped his head against her shoulder and started kissing her along her collarbone while his hands cupped her breast sliding under her bra.

"Mhm mmmm…" She couldn't help but moan "But we need to do it quickly Jackson, so please just do it!"

**...**

Jackson was sitting on her couch and April was in her bedroom, folding some of her clothes she had decided to bring with her for the next days at Jackson's.

"So, do you happen to know that today it's the 20th…"

"Yup!" April replied from her bedroom.

"And do you know what? Christmas is in 5 days…" He got up from the couch and headed towards her bedroom.

"I know that Jackson!" She replied again, putting one of her dresses in front of her body. Her belly had not grow that much but her breasts seemed to have just exploded and the few dresses she owned didn't fit her anymore. She sighed and put it back into the closet, shaking her head.

He stepped behind her and hugged her from behind.

"Maybe it's time to let your parents know…We should visit them for Christmas..." He stated, sliding his hand to hug her belly. His face leaned on her shoulder and his lips were just grazing her neck.

"Jackson, I told you, my parents are…"

He rolled his eyes "Here you go again..."

"They're just so old-fashioned. They're not extroverted and modern. They're not like your mother!" She stated.

"Oh, Thank Goodness! That's actually relieving!" He chuckled.

"I'm serious, Jackson… Especially my father, he is not a very understanding man!"

"Well, you are pregnant April. They are going to find out, sooner or later!"

"I barely told them I met someone a few weeks ago…" April confessed.

"Yeah, and I still can't believe it!" He replied, a little frustrated. He couldn't understand why she was so scared to tell her parents about them.

"Hey, you know I love you, right?" She held his face in her hands and planted a sweet kiss on his lips, trying to cheer him up.

"Yeah…" He nodded, pouting a little.

"Hey, you know what I was thinking? We could go to Boston again, for Christmas!" She exclaimed "Evelyn would be so thrilled! And your mother would love to have us again!" She told him, then turned to fold her last piece of clothing and carefully put it into her bag. "Okay, this one is ready!" She stated handing him the bag.

"I am actually tired of loading and unloading bags every day, you know that right?" He told her, smirking, plopping down on her bed, his hands behind his head. "You could just move into my apartment..."

This wasn't the first time he had actually suggested her to move in with him, permanently.

"But let's not get carried away..." He went on talking, making fun of her "It's not like we are serious or anything, I mean, it's not like we are having a baby together, right? Oh, wait a minute, you're actually knocked up and guess what? It's mine!" He smirked, moving to sit on the edge of the bed and she rolled her eyes.

"Ha! You're so funny Jackson"

"April, I mean it! Carrying heavy bags it's a very sensitive issue..." He pouted, reaching for her hand and leading her to stand right between his legs.

"Oh I thought you were a very strong man!" She teased him "It's like doing a workout!"

He didn't reply but, slowly, he pushed her sweater up and started kissing her naked belly.

But just when his hands were about to slid under her bra, a knock at her door distracted them from that very special moment.

Because that knock was followed by a voice April she quite well.

That voice was calling her.

"Duckie?! Are you there?!"

April froze, looking at Jackson who was looking at her. His brows were drawn together in a frown. He was clueless.

"Duckie?...What..." He was about to ask her something but she put her hand on his mouth and shushed him.

"Mom?!" April called out. A mix of confusion and terror in her voice.

"Of course it's us, Duckie!" They called from behind the door "Who else would it be?"

* * *

><p><strong>Hi guys! I hope you liked it! <strong>

**Let me know what you think! Please!**

**And thanks a lot to those of you who left a review! I really appreciated! Thank you thank you thank you! :-)**

**And as always I'm asking you to turn a blind eye because as you know English is not my 1st language! ;-)**


	18. This place is on fire

_This place is on fire_

* * *

><p>April smelled a delicious aroma of cappuccino and chocolate waffles. Her eyes slowly opened as she felt Jackson's hand stroking her hair.<p>

"Good morning, beautiful!" He told her, as she slowly turned her head on the pillow and her eyes met his.

She smiled, looking at him. He was sitting on her side of the bed. He was wearing his street clothes. April glanced at the bedside table where the smell came from.

"Awww, breakfast in bed?"

"Yes baby!" He leaned in and kissed her on her lips."How did you sleep?"

She got up in a sitting position, stretched her arms and pulled him closer to her. They kissed lazily until he pulled away, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"Come on, eat your breakfast!" He told her, handing her the cup of hot cappuccino.

"I was such a jerk, yesterday!" April pouted.

"No, you weren't!"

"I made such a scene!" She pouted again and he chuckled.

"April…it's your family, they understand and they care about you… even your sisters…" He replied, getting up from the bed and walking towards the closet.

"Please, the only thing my sisters cared about was embarrassing me and flirting with you!" April stated."And my mom?! Unbelievable!"

"Well, your mother actually is the sweetest person I've ever met!" Jackson replied.

"My sisters were practically hitting on you and my mother was busy snooping in my kitchen to whip something up because my father was hungry! It was just so embarassing!"

"April! They came here just because they wanted to see you..."

_**Flashback**_

_"Duckie?! What does that even mean?" Jackson asked her again._

_"Please don't ask…" She only replied._

_"April, honey, would you please open up!" They heard again a voice coming from behind the door._

_And Jackson jumped up from her bed._

_"Is that your father?" He asked her and she nodded "Yes, it seems like Joe Kepner is here, Jackson! You seemed so anxious to get to know them…" April replied, quite panicking. "And now here they are! My parents and my sisters!" _

_"I'm coming!" She called out but then she started pacing up and down her room. She smoothed her shirt down over her stomach and took a large sweater from the closet, trying to cover even more her little belly. _

_"Yes, I mean, I_'_m glad to get to know them but…" He mumbled, more to himself than to her._

_He was eager to get to know them. But until that moment he hadn't even for a second feel anxious about it. Their encounter was going to be awkward. He's was about to meet his girlfriend's parents. And sisters._

_"Jackson, you could just hide in here, until they…" She suggested. She was panicking._

_"April, come on! You can't be serious!" He scolded her._

_"But you don't know my sisters!" She pouted and he wrapped his arms around her._

_"Come on, April, they're your family!"_

_"Ok, fine! But not a word about the baby, okay? They're my parents and I will tell them my own way, okay?"_

_"Alright, Duckie!" He replied to her, kissing her forehead._

_She turned back, flashing him nasty look._

_She reached for the door and opened it._

_"Surpriiiiise!" She heard them say, in chorus._

_"Hi!" April exclaimed. And then she stood still, unable to utter another word._

_Jackson was just behind her, smiling._

_There was an awkward moment of silence where everyone stood still. All the Kepners stared at Jackson while April was staring at them, shocked. _

_Jackson put his hand on her shoulder as to encourage her, but before April could actually say something, her mother spoke up._

_"April, honey, could you please let us in?"_

_"Ehm…Yes, sure...Mom, Dad…guys, come in!" She told them._

_Karen Kepner was the first one who stepped inside while the rest of them were still staring at Jackson who was still smiling but as the seconds passed he was becoming more and more anxious and embarrassed. Especially with April's father._

_"Good Lord Duckie! Who's this dreamboat?!" April heard Kimmie say._

_April didn't even bother to reply "Mom, Dad, this is Jackson!" She introduced him and he shook hands to both of them. "It's very nice to meet you Mr. Kepner... Mrs. Kepner..." He nodded politely but while Karen Kepner was smiling at him, Joe's face was still unreadable._

_"Honey, the kitchen is there, right?" Her mother asked looking around "I'll just whip something up...your father is so hungry!" Karen exclaimed, pointed at the kitchen just in front of them._

_April was about to reply something to her mother when she felt a hand practically moving her aside._

_"Oh my God! Hi you! Duckie don't be rude, introduce us! Well I'm Elisabeth, by the way, but you can call me Libby!" April's bigger sister, without even greeting her, had reached for Jackson and offered her hand. And then it was the turn of Kimmie and then of Alice and all the three of them where looking at him like he was a piece of meat and they were three hungry lioness._

_"I'm Jackson! Nice to meet you!" Jackson replied, then glanced at April who was looking at her sisters like she wanted to strangled all the three of them._

_That was the reason why April didn't want her sisters to meet him. Even though Libby was already married and Kimmie and Alice had longtime boyfriends, they were shamelessly hitting on him. While embarassing her. Classic. They had always done that with her. And still calling her Duckie even if she wasn't wearing braces anymore and her acne had cleared up years before._

_ They had always tried to make her feel bad in front of other people, especially with boys. _

_They loved making fun of her. And now what, flirting with her own boyfriend?_

_"So, Jackson...Tell me about you..." Libby asked again, twirling her hair._

_"April, honey, your fridge is empty!" April heard her mother calling her out._

_"Unbelievable!" April mumbled to herself, reaching her mom in the kitchen._

_"Mom? What are you doing?" April asked her mom, whose head was practically stuffed inside her fridge._

_"Well, you father is hungry and I thought I could make him a little something ... April, why is your fridge almost empty?" Karen asked again._

_"Karen, it's okay... Can I just have a cup of coffee? April, honey, do you have coffee, right?" Joe Kepner asked._

_"Mom, dad…are you going to say something about him? You've barely said hi to him!"_

_"Oh, honey, I'm sorry..." Her mother reached for her hands "He's very polite and he has the prettiest eyes!" She stated. "I didn't mean to be rude with him, but you know, your father when he is hungry...Anyway, Joe , if you're okay with just a coffee I should better join the girls. I need to get to know him!" And then exited the kitchen, leaving April and her father there._

_Karen Kepner was just like that._

_She was a simple woman. If her husband was hungry or tired or whatever, her main purpose was to help him out despite anything else. But she was not rude or mean. She was caring, affectionate, helpful. Yet she had this attitude that had always got on April's nerve._

_April's was staring at her mother who hopefully was now the one talking with Jackson. _

_April smiled: actually, Jackson seemed a little embarrassed; he kept scratching the back of his head as he used to when he was nervous or worried but he had nothing to be worried about. Without any doubts Karen Kepner couldn't in any way dislike him._

_End of flashback_

_..._

"And my mother? She has always been ready to forgive them. I can't believe I'm actually saying that, but my father was actually the only one who acted normally and I mean… we're talking about Joe Kepner, here!" April stated taking a bite of her second waffles. _"_By the way, what were you two talking about?"

"Mmm...what?" Jackson asked immediately

"Outside the restaurant, I saw you and my father talking..."

Jackson swallowed hard. If only April knew what her father had told him… "Mhm...nothing in particular..."

But lucky for him, April was too busy eating her breakfast and venting out all of her frustrations towards her family. "Anyway, now you know why I can barely stand being in the same room with my sisters…And you know what? I was not a jerk, they actually deserved that! " she went on talking with her mouth literally full. "I grew up feeling so insecure of myself and my body because of them! Gosh, they had always acted like I was not pretty enough to deserve anyone! I'm pretty, you know!" She wiped off her mouth staring at the cup in her hand.

He was taking his jeans off ready to wear his sweatpants. And then he stopped and turned to look at her.

She was sitting in the bed, in her tiny tank top. It was barely containing her chest now and he was so grateful she hadn't even think about buying one of a bigger size. Her face was dusted in icing sugar. She was too cute. And kind of sexy.

He smirked and reached the bed, getting under the sheets with her.

"You're more than pretty to me!" He told her playing with the strap of her tank top. His low husky voice was trying to get her attention but she went on talking

"They were hitting on you, Jackson! And for God's sake, Libbie is even married! And I'm sorry but I had to say that! Couldn't hold it anymore!" She stated, after taking a sip of her cappuccino.

"Well, I'm glad you did it..." Jackson stated, placing his mouth on April's shoulder "And it was kind of hot, you know?" And then he took the cup from April's hand and put it down on the bedside table

"Jackson..." She giggled. "What are you doing?"

"Mhm...I'm just kissing you..." He whispered and while is mouth was busy on kissing her neck his right hand pulled down the strap of her top.

"Jackson... please stop..." She murmured but she moved right closer, slipping under the sheets with him.

_**Flashback**_

_The dinner together had been Jackson's idea. And April still couldn't believe she had finally agreed on doing that._

_ Obviously she couldn't avoid them. They had come all the way there just to see her and at least she had to do it for her parents. _

_Later on, that afternoon, Jackson had excused himself and walked away to pick Evelyn from school. And April, with a simple excuse, had just convinced her family that she was busy with school stuff and since they were all going to have dinner together they finally went to the hotel. _

_And now there they were. At the restaurant. T__he waiter had just arrived, holding a tray with their desserts. _

_As a matter of fact, April__ had also agreed with Jackson on telling them about the baby during the dinner. And m__ore than once he had tried to catch April's attention but April didn't feel like any moment was the right moment. And in the meanwhile the fact that her sisters were constantly talking about her, wasn't helping her, at all. _

_April had realized that Jackson had noticed her embarassment, from time to time he had even tried to change the topic of their conversation but April's sisters had always found a way to bring it back to April. Not a single question about her present. Just an embarassing trip down April's memory lane. __Obviously, highlighting on the most embarassing, awkward, humiliating moments of April's life._

_ And her parents? They hadn't even noticed she was the only one who wasn't drinking wine. His father was busy eating while her mother was busy taking care of him. Karen had only got the chance to ask Jackson a few things about Evelyn. April's sisters had no intentions of backing down and they kept asking him questions, tirelessly. But only when Jackson and Karen had talked he seemed to be really involved in the conversation. And Jackson's eyes had simply lit up as they always did when he had told them about his daughter. And April was just so proud of him._

_"It looks delicious!" April exclaimed as the waiter put the cheese cake in front of her. At least there was something of that dinner she could enjoy._

_"Do you want to try mine, too?" Jackson asked, offering her a spoon of his __crème brulee__._

_"Oh, you two are so cute together" Her sister Libby exclaimed "but you should go easy Duckie, you don't want to scare him away… you know, Jackson, when April was in high school she had a really bad acne and the dermatologist suggested her not to eat much…"_

_"Oh, please shut up!" April yelled._

_Everyone at the table froze._

_Jackson coughed, wiping his mouth. April's had suddenly cheeks become red and she seemed about to explode. He immediately grabbed her arm. "Babe, it's okay..."_

_"No, Jackson, I'm tired of it!" And then she turned to look at her sisters, again. "You're being pathetic! My acne cleared up years ago I got rid of my braces in college. I wear contacts, I use make up and in case you haven't noticed, I learned how to condition my hair. I am not your hopeless ugly little sister anymore! And stop hitting on my boyfriend! If your relationships are just depressing well that's not my fault! Jackson and I… we are more than happy together and you know what else? We are expecting a baby!" She blurted out. __"So would you please, for God's sake, just shut up and stop calling me Duckie!?"_

_After the big awkward announcement and after a few moments of silence, Karen had stood up and hugged April and then somehow all the awkward tension had gone away. Even if April's sisters seemed still quite burned from_ _the __tongue-lashing April had just given them. _

_ A few minutes had passed and April and her mother were now talking quietly, Karen's hands kept stroking April's belly. _

_Her sisters were right next to her, as well, but it was clear they were still quite in shock. _

_Jackson was just outside the restaurant. He had just called Zoey's parents to check on Evelyn. She was staying at Zoey's for the night. He had thought it was the best thing to do, she could have the chance to know April's family soon but that dinner could have been quite intense. __And now in hindsight, he knew that he had made the best choice._

_ He had just put his phone away but he was not ready to go back inside, yet. He just needed a moment of fresh air. He had to clear his mind. He needed to talk to April's father. As a father himself he could only imagined what Joe Kepner could think of him. Joe had stared at him in a very creepy way from the very first moment April's had blurted out about the baby and he had started to feel a little scared of him._

_"So… I guess congratulations are in order..." Joe Kepner had reached for him._

_"Mr. Kepner, I wanted to say that…"_

_"Just call me Joe, okay?" He cut him off, offering his hand for a shake._

_"Okay, Joe…" Jackson smiled, and he thought he could relax. Just for a moment, though. Because Joe's hand was still holding his.__ Firmly._

_"You know, April is not like her sisters…" Joe started talking "I love my daughters, equally and unconditionally, no matter what and you will know when you'll be a father for the second time. But just so you know: April is different! She deserves the best so you have to promise you will take a good care of her...and your baby too..."_

_"I will, Joe..." Jackson smiled, he was feeling a bit anxious but this was his moment. He had to be honest with April's father. "My daughter and April means everything to me... April's just making me so happy everyday, and I'm so in love with her, and I feel like I'm so lucky she loves me back and now we are having a baby, together. I couldn't ask for more, you know..." He said , almost all in one breath._

_Joe remained silent for a moment, then spoke again._

_"You know what was the first thing that came to my mind earlier? I thought you deserved a good punch in the face son... but you seem just a good guy and maybe I will skip that!" Joe confessed, chuckling._

_End of Flashback_

_..._

"Jackson...what about Evelyn..." April glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table.

It was Jackson's day off but anyway he had to pick up Evelyn from Zoey's and take her to school and it was getting late.

"Kelly is taking her to school, with Zoey. She told me that last night, when I called to check on Evie... So do not worry, okay?"

They were cuddling in the bed, his fingers were gently making circles on April's belly. His head was resting on her shoulder while their legs were intertwined.

It was just perfect.

"Are you tired?" He whispered in her ear. She smiled. She knew what he meant. They had just made love but, evidently, he was just ready to go again.

She was about to reply but Jackson's phone started buzzing on his bedside table and he stretched his arms, reaching for it.

"Good morning mom!" He answered "Always in perfect timing!" He exclaimed but then the look on his face suddenly changed.

April unfortunately didn't have the time to notice it. The doorbell had just rang and she had immediately got up, put a robe on. She walked to the door and opened it.

"Good Morning!" The woman who was standing in front of April greeted her, smiling. "I was looking for Mr. Avery..."

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah...Just like that! As usual, sorry for any mistakes...<strong>

**I hope you liked this one... I want to thank each one of you, I'm really glad you took the time to let me know what you think about this story, it was very kind of you****! ****I'm so grateful with you...and I still can't believe you are enjoying my story so much!**

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